Villagers were alarmed after discovering a mysterious "skull" in the forest at the foothills of Doi Phak King, Lampang Province. Police have sent it for forensic examination and preliminarily confirmed it is a human female skull, showing cracks, aged approximately 25-35 years, deceased for no less than six months.
On 19 May 2026, police from Thung Fai Police Station in Mueang District, Lampang Province, received a report of a human skull found in the forest at the foothills of Doi Phak King, Ban Wang Ngern, Village No. 14, Nikom Phatthana Subdistrict, Mueang District, Lampang. They promptly went to the scene with investigative and forensic teams from Lampang.
Officers had to trek about 300 meters from the Lampang–Chae Hom road between kilometer markers 22 and 23 before finding a skull resembling a human's at the foothills. Detailed inspection revealed that about 8 meters from the skull site, officers found a watch, a Buddhist amulet, and numerous clumps of long brownish hair, believed to be from the deceased. They also found teeth with signs of dental fillings at the scene, which were collected as evidence. However, no other bones or body parts were found.
Preliminary local investigation found no missing person reports matching the remains. It is presumed the skull has been there for several months. The area has many stray dogs, which may have carried away other bones to chew elsewhere. Additionally, recent forest fires and heavy rains caused flash floods through the foothills, possibly washing away some evidence or bones. All evidence was sent to the forensic institute for confirmation of human origin, while police are urgently checking missing persons records in the area and neighboring provinces to establish any connection to the deceased.
On 20 May 2026, reporters visited a house in Village No. 3, Thung Fai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Lampang, where they met Mr. Rong, 69, husband of Aunt Noi, the first person to find the skull. He revealed that they were unsure if the skull belonged to a monkey or a human. Around 17 May, Aunt Ree, Aunt Noi, and relatives were gathering wild vegetables nearby. Aunt Ree was the first to see it but was afraid and pretended not to notice.
Later, Aunt Ree told Aunt Noi about the skull but was unsure if it was human or monkey. When Aunt Noi saw it, she confirmed the skull was as described. As they left the area, they heard sounds like something falling or stones being thrown, which they believed to be ghosts, prompting them to quickly leave the forest.
On 18 May, Aunt Noi told Mr. Rong about finding a skull resembling a human's and wanted to show him, but he did not go because he didn't know the exact location. On the morning of 19 May, he asked his wife to notify the village headman and together they returned to check if the skull was human or monkey. When the village headman saw it, he judged it was very likely human and reported it to the police. Mr. Rong had previously searched for bamboo shoots in the area but never found such a skull. He believes the skull likely appeared there after the rainy season.
He admitted surprise that only the skull and jawbones were found, with teeth showing signs of dental fillings, which he believed a monkey could not have. He questioned where the other bones had gone, noting that if washed away by water or carried off by dogs, some fragments should have remained nearby. The absence of any other remains has led villagers to speculate whether the skull had been deliberately separated or if other bones might still be close to the skull's location.
He personally believes that if the skull is human, someone might have intended for it to be found so authorities could trace the relatives and remove the body from the forest. However, this depends on official confirmation of the skull's human origin. There are no reports of anyone missing from the village.
At 15:00, Police Colonel Wipas Saengsasithorn, Chief of Thung Fai Police Station, Mueang District, Lampang, revealed that coordination with forensic doctors at Lampang Hospital indicated unofficially that the skull is indeed human, belonging to a woman aged about 25-35 years, deceased for no less than six months. The skull has cracks, possibly from falling down a mountain or a severe impact. The whereabouts of the rest of the body remain unknown. Authorities plan to send teams and rescue workers to search nearby areas again and have issued announcements to surrounding areas to seek relatives. Anyone with missing persons should contact Lieutenant Yone Techalue, Investigating Officer at Thung Fai Police Station.
Police showed reporters evidence believed to belong to the deceased, including a Luang Pho Kasem Khemko amulet of the 'Bell Style' worn clipped on clothing, and a green SPORT WEI DASH wristwatch. The deceased had a history of dental fillings in their molars.
Reporters later returned to the scene, finding the skull site less than 100 meters from the Lampang–Chae Hom road and under 10 meters from a footpath villagers use to enter the forest. No foul odors or visible corpses had been noticed previously, adding to the mystery of the missing body parts. Burned women's shoes and a large amount of hair were also found nearby.
