"Luk Pla" gave a statement to police after returning to Kanchanaburi, affirming she is safe and was not harmed. She explained the loss of contact was due to no phone signal. Meanwhile, investigators found information conflicting with her account and are urgently tracking her boyfriend to verify the facts.,
On 5 Sep 2016, developments in the search for Ms. Wichuda, or "Luk Pla," 33, who disappeared from her home in Lat Ya subdistrict, Mueang district, since the night of 28 Aug 2016, were reported. Her boyfriend, Mr. Nut, drove a four-door pickup truck to pick her up from her sister's house, stating they would travel to Chiang Mai. However, after just one day, her family could not reach her. When they asked Mr. Nut, he denied being with Ms. Wichuda, raising family concerns about her safety. They reported to Lat Ya Police Station and sought media help to spread the news and find clues as covered by various media outlets.
Later, on the night of 4 Sep 2016, Chiang Mai Provincial Police investigators found Ms. Wichuda boarding a Chiang Mai-Kanchanaburi bus to return home. Police Colonel Phasavee Ruangphu, Commander of Kanchanaburi Provincial Police, coordinated with Lampang Provincial Police to help locate her on the bus. At a checkpoint in Sop Prap district, Lampang, police found her and confirmed she was safe and wished to return home to Kanchanaburi, as previously reported.
Then, at 06:00 on 5 Sep 2016, Police Colonel Jompol Rujiradamrongchai, Deputy Commander of Kanchanaburi Provincial Police, led investigators from Lat Ya police to meet Ms. Wichuda as she arrived by bus in Kanchanaburi, in front of Phanom Thuan district office. She was then taken to Phanom Thuan Police Station for a formal statement.
Ms. Wichuda appeared cheerful with no signs of coercion or physical harm. She told waiting media that she was safe, not abused or forced. She explained the lack of contact with her family was due to no phone signal and that she was unable to return earlier because she had an argument with her boyfriend, who traveled with her.
Deputy Commander Jompol personally questioned Ms. Wichuda, who said she traveled to Chiang Mai with her boyfriend, Mr. Nut. Upon arrival, he took her to a resort near the border and kept her confined to the room while he went out to meet friends and run errands. The area had no phone signal, preventing her from contacting or updating her family.
Ms. Wichuda added that during her stay in Chiang Mai, she did not leave the room; only Mr. Nut brought her food and drink. When asked about Mr. Nut, she said they quarreled after a few days because she wanted to return home, but he did not, leading to their separation. After seeing news of her family searching for her, she decided to board a bus back home on her own.
However, Ms. Wichuda's statement conflicted with information from investigators, especially regarding Mr. Nut. She claimed Mr. Nut continuously brought her food and drink using the pickup truck that had picked her up, running errands and buying supplies. Police found the pickup truck abandoned, with license plates that did not match the vehicle's chassis number.
Authorities plan to summon Ms. Wichuda for further questioning at Lat Ya Police Station before allowing her family to take her home. Police will continue to search for Mr. Nut and gather information to clarify the purpose of their travel to Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province.