Chiang Mai residents were shocked after showing interest in buying a house repossessed by a bank and currently being auctioned by the Department of Legal Execution. Upon inspecting the house, they found a dried corpse reduced to a skeleton lying on a bed inside a mosquito net. It is believed to be the elderly female owner who had been missing for over five years. Her son, who once lived with her, is now imprisoned in Tak province. Authorities are rushing to conduct a forensic examination to confirm the identity and determine the cause of death. If confirmed to be the grandmother owner, it means she died alone in the heart of a bustling community.
At about 5:00 p.m. on 15 September 2026, police from Mae Ping Police Station in Chiang Mai received a report from villagers in Tha Duea community, San Phi Suea Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District, that a human skeleton had been found inside an abandoned house near Ban Tha Duea community market, Village No. 6, San Phi Suea Subdistrict, which had been left vacant for many years.
Investigation revealed that the person who found the body was a local resident interested in buying the house, which had been repossessed by a bank and was about to be auctioned by the Department of Legal Execution. They requested permission to inspect the house's interior before deciding to purchase.
The house is a two-story wooden building that once operated as a shop due to its proximity to a fresh market. Inside, many belongings of the former owner were still left behind. Overall, the house had been abandoned for many years.
While inspecting the ground floor, they found a wooden stool and a bed with a mosquito net. Upon lifting the net, they discovered a dried corpse reduced to a skeleton lying on the bed, which greatly shocked the inspectors.
After receiving the report, the village headman coordinated with police and forensic doctors from Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital to investigate the scene, collect evidence, and send the skeleton for detailed forensic examination to confirm the identity and determine the cause of death, as well as to locate relatives for further proceedings.
Preliminary inquiries with villagers revealed that the house belonged to grandmother Sriwan Saetang, who lived with her son nicknamed “Tee.” Villagers last saw both around five to six years ago.
Subsequently, there was information that the house had been repossessed by the bank, and some said they would take grandmother Sriwan to live with her son and relatives in downtown Chiang Mai. Villagers did not suspect anything as they assumed she had moved in with her son.
However, further police checks found that the son, who had once lived with her, is currently imprisoned in Tak province, while grandmother Sriwan was about 93 years old at that time.
Authorities therefore suspect that the skeleton found may be grandmother Sriwan’s, but official confirmation awaits forensic examination and identity verification.
If confirmed to be grandmother Sriwan, it means she may have died alone inside the house over the past five to six years, even though the house is next to a busy market where many people gather daily, especially in the morning when villagers come to shop.
Villagers revealed that during this period, they never suspected anyone had died inside the house nor noticed any unusual odor indicating a corpse. Only about two to three days ago did a foul smell begin to emerge, but the source could not be found until someone interested in buying the house came to inspect it and discovered the body inside, causing great shock and surprise among the community.