CityNews – The body of a 13-year-old girl who went missing on Sunday night while on a sleeper train from Surat Thani to Bangkok was found early this morning, 7th July. She had been raped and murdered.
photo from @Palm_RescueClub twitter account.
A 22-year-old employee of a company contracted by the State Railway of Thailand to provide on-board services has reportedly been arrested and confessed to the killing.
The victim, Miss Kotchakon (surname withheld), nicknamed Nong Gaem, went missing from the 174 rapid train from Surat Thani to Bangkok. Her older sister awoke in the morning to find her bunk empty, and alerted the train guards.
Police conducted a search along the railway line and discovered bloodied bed sheets and a T-shirt in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district that was confirmed to be Nong Gaem’s. Relatives joined the search for the girl and police discovered her body at around 4 a.m. this morning, around two metres from the track in Pran Buri district.
After the staff on the train were questioned by police, one contracted worker admitted that he had raped the young girl then killed her.
Mr Wanchai Saengkhao said he had taken methamphetamine and drunk alcohol in another section of the train before the attack. He told police that he opened Nong Gaem’s window and forced her head out of the carriage as the wind blocked the noise. After raping her, he killed her and threw her body out of the open window as it approached Wang Pong station. He ditched the bloodied sheets and clothes later down the line.
Nong Gaem was travelling with her elder sister and a friend in the beds next to her compartment. Her younger sister was sleeping on the top bunk, above Nong Gaem.
Forensics officers inspected the scene again before moving the body. Mr Wanchai has been detained in custody and has been ordered to recreate the scene for evidence in court.