DEPUTY National Police Chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, whose nickname is Big Joke, said after meeting the brother of a Thai woman found hanged in Phuket last week that her Canadian boyfriend has been placed on watchlist, Matichon newspaper said this afternoon (Feb. 13).
Mr. Ekapop Leangprasert, one of the operators of Sai Mai Tong Rod (Sai Mai Must Survive) Facebook page which helps people in trouble reach state authorities, brought Mr. Kriengsak Riewklang, the brother of Ms. Wanvisa Riewklang, 31, who died last Wednesday Feb. 8 to file a complaint with Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachet at the Police Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit road.
Kriengsak said his sister, who had been involved with the Canadian man for four to five months, had consulted him last week about being physically assaulted by him but later managing to escape.
He told her to go file a police report which she did.
However after that she told him that her Canadian boyfriend had forced her to smoke marijuana and take cocaine then took compromising photos and videos of her which he threatened to release on the Internet if she did not cooperate.
Kriengsak said as he was trying to find a way to help his sister he was informed that she had hanged herself.
Yet when he and other family members went to the hospital they saw that Wanvisa seemed to be asleep with her face not red nor swollen, but she had gagged as has been seen in such cases. This led to the family becoming suspicious about her death as she had two children to raise and an ailing father to support.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate said afterwards that he had spoken to the superintendent of Patong police station about this case because the family is suspicious about her death and it is the police’s duty to clarify it. Autopsy results have to be checked but the report is not out yet, he said, adding that people who hang themselves usually have a high level of stress.
Asked whether the deceased woman’s relatives had asked for blocking the departure of the Canadian man, Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachet said he has already been placed on the watchlist but as there is no evidence that he has committed an offence he is still not on the blacklist.
However he has coordinated with the Immigration Department to detain him if he tries to leave Thailand because he has to be investigated first and not allowed to flee the country.
He added that there is evidence in this case but it has still to be determined whose DNA it is. If not enough samples have been collected then this has to be carried out again.
CAPTION:
Top: Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn talking to Mr. Ekapop Leangprasert and Mr. Kriengsak Riewklang, above, and answering reporters’ questions, Front Page. Photos: Matichon
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