Authorities are pursuing the suspect who brutally killed a 70-year-old mortician, initially dumping the body by the roadside before returning to move it deeper into the forest. This caused parts of the body to come loose and be discovered by passersby. The motive is believed to be robbery of tens of thousands of baht in cash.
At 11:00 a.m. on 4 May 2026, Lieutenant Colonel Attawut Phatkhong, deputy investigation officer at Khao Phanom Police Station in Krabi province, received a report of human body parts found by the roadside on the Kotong-Khao Kaew route, Moo 8, Na Khao Subdistrict, Khao Phanom District. He, along with Police Colonel Jenphop Butrakinri, chief of Khao Phanom Police Station, investigators, forensic officials from Krabi, and rescue volunteers from Prachasanthisuk Foundation Krabi, proceeded to inspect the scene.
At the scene in the forest beside the road, decomposed flesh from hands and feet was scattered. Also found were a traditional checkered cloth, a wall clock, religious ceremony name slips, a pen, and a motorcycle license plate bearing number KHM 383 from Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
Officers spread out searching about 300 meters into the dense forest and found the body of a man lying face down, decomposed. It is estimated he had been dead for at least 2-3 days. The body was shirtless, wearing sweatpants, with a white shirt binding both legs, and his head tied with a T-shirt. Leaves covered the body. A preliminary autopsy revealed blunt force trauma to the left side of the head causing skull depression.
Later, villagers from Plai Phraya District, believed to be relatives, came to confirm the body as Somphong Songsang, aged 70, resident of Moo 4, Plai Phraya Subdistrict, Plai Phraya District, Krabi. The victim worked as a farmer and mortician for Pak Nam Temple. He had disappeared from home since late night on 30 April along with his motorcycle sidecar, the license plate matching that found at the scene.
Mrs. Prapian Songsang, 62, the victim’s sister who came with relatives to view the body, confirmed it was Somphong based on a tattoo on his left foot, a deformity on his right leg, and the 3-4 remaining teeth. She described him as well-liked by villagers, with a livelihood in palm and rubber plantations. When free, he helped at Pak Nam Temple with funeral rites, religious ceremonies, and also served as a mortician performing cremations.
Before disappearing, during the day a male worker around 30 years old, recently hired to work in the palm plantation and build a house on the property, came to borrow 300 baht. The victim gave him 500 baht and told him to stay away due to his methamphetamine use. The man later returned to sell a 200-liter water tank for 300 baht. On 1 May, Somphong was missing along with his motorcycle sidecar. Relatives searched and reported to Plai Phraya Police Station. Upon inspection of the victim’s home, signs of ransacking and blood stains were found.
The body was found today. The motive is believed to be robbery since Somphong typically carried large amounts of cash, not less than 50,000 baht, from palm sales and temple work. He preferred not to deposit money in banks and was building a house, so he kept substantial cash on hand.
Police Colonel Jenphop said initial investigation suggests the suspect is the victim’s worker, employed about a month ago. The suspect reportedly attacked Somphong at home, causing his death, then transported the body by motorcycle sidecar to the scene and abandoned it. Earlier this morning, a villager passing the site saw the man sitting there but did not notice anything unusual. Later, another villager detected a foul odor but did not see the man, and upon inspection found human remains. It is believed the suspect returned in the morning to move the decomposing body further into the forest, causing body parts to fall off. Police are urgently gathering evidence and searching for the suspect, who is believed to be from the three southern provinces.