PATTAYA, Thailand – On July 16, Pattaya police made a grim discovery of a double homicide in a second-floor bedroom at the Banoo Iranian Restaurant in South Pattaya. The victims were identified as Mr Mojtaba, 64, found naked from the waist down, and Ms Thanaporn, presumed to be his wife, covered with a blanket. Both had likely been deceased for at least three days, evidenced by the strong odour at the scene. Although the cause of death and the weapon used remain unknown, a nearby hammer was collected as potential evidence.
According to Mr Pan (alias), 57, a neighbour, the restaurant had been closed since July 11. The discovery came on the morning of July 16, prompted by a relative of Ms Thanaporn who had a dream suggesting she was unable to leave the restaurant. Upon arriving and finding the doors securely locked from the inside, the relative alerted the police, leading to the gruesome discovery.
Initial suspicions point to Min Lwin Oo, a 21-year-old Burmese employee, who vanished along with the victims’ motorcycle following the incident. Police are actively pursuing Min and gathering evidence from nearby CCTV footage. The footage captured Min arriving at the restaurant around 8:19 p.m. on July 11 and leaving with a short-haired Burmese woman believed to be his girlfriend the next morning at 6:20 a.m., both carrying bags and other belongings.
In a phone interview, Ms Nam, 31, the daughter of Ms Thanaporn, recounted losing contact with her mother on July 11. Concerned by the unusual silence, Nam sought assistance and discovered the tragic fate of her mother. Nam mentioned her mother’s prior suspicions about Min, citing instances of missing money and his habit of bringing women to the restaurant.
