PUBLISHED : 21 Feb 2024 at 14:50
A 33-year-old man accused of killing his wife and burning her body after they celebrated his birthday together was taken for a reenactment of the crime on Wednesday.
Sirichai Rakthong is charged with the murder of Chonlada Muthuwong, aged 27 years, in Nonthaburi province and then attempting to cover up the crime by cremating her body in a rubber plantation in Prachin Buri.
Durng the reenactment he allegedly confessed to assaulting his wife at their house in the Luk Golf housing estate in Muang Thong Thani in Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi and also at two locations on Chaeng Wattana Road in Nonthaburi. The vicious assaults on Chaeng Wattana Road were caught by surveillance cameras and the recordings have been shown extensively on television news.
Police said he couple celebrated his birthday together on Saturday, and the beatings began around 3am on Sunday.
The victim’s burnt skeleton and a burnt suitcase were spotted in a rubber plantation in Ban Map Hiang village of tambon Nong Prong in Sri Mahaphote district of Prachin Buri on Tuesday night, about 700 metres from Highway 359.
Pol Maj Gen Pumin Singhasut, chief of Prachin Buri police, said Chonlada’s bracelet and gold ring were found with the burnt remains. Her mobile phone’s signal had also been detected in the area.
Police arrested Mr Sirichai at his home on Tuesday night and he allegedly confessed to the crime after two hours of interrogation.
According to police, Mr Sirichai said he and his wife were both drunk at his birthday party, and she made reference to his ex-girlfriend. He assaulted his wife twice on Chaeng Wattana Road and again at their house.
Pol Col Sompol Wongsrisunthorn, deputy chief of Nonthaburi police, said the woman most likely died at the house after being hit on the head with a hard object and falling unconscious.
Later on Sunday morning, Feb 18, Mr Sirichai realised his wife was dead. He stuffed the body in a suitcase which he placed in their white BMW car. He stopped at a petrol station near their home to buy petrol, which he used to burn the body in the suitcase when he reached the plantation in Prachin Buri, according to police.
Accused wife killer Sirichai Rakthong inside a police vehicle before being taken for a reenactment of the crime on Wednesday. (Photo supplied/ Wassayos Ngamkham)