SONGKHLA, Thailand – A male student in Mathayom 3 (Grade 9) was taken into custody and brought to the Songkhla Juvenile and Family Court after confessing to murdering his classmate and dumping the body in an abandoned pit. The incident reportedly occurred after the suspect became enraged when the victim insulted his mother.
The case revolves around the discovery of the body of Nong Fang, a 15-year-old Mathayom 3 student from a school in Khlong Hoi Khong Subdistrict, Khlong Hoi Khong District, Songkhla Province. The victim was found dead in his school uniform in an abandoned pit in Ban Ton Mai Phai Village, after disappearing on the evening of Sept. 24. Fang had gone missing along with his black Honda Wave motorcycle and mobile phone after dropping off two friends at their homes. His family had posted missing person notices online, which led to a forest mushroom picker discovering his body at 10:00 AM on Sept. 29.
Police soon arrested A (alias), a 15-year-old close friend and classmate of the deceased, who was the last person seen with Fang. Upon questioning, the suspect confessed to committing the murder alone, stating that he had become angry after Fang insulted his father and mocked his mother. He lured Fang to the abandoned pit where the murder occurred and stole his motorcycle, which was later found at his girlfriend’s house. The suspect also admitted to selling the victim’s mobile phone.
Following his arrest, police recovered the motorcycle from the suspect’s girlfriend’s house in Ban Rai, Hat Yai District, and traced the phone to a local shop where it had been sold. The suspect then led authorities to the crime scene, where he provided a step-by-step account of the murder.
According to his testimony, he had driven Fang to the remote area and, after stopping, assaulted him. Fang, being smaller, was unable to defend himself and lost consciousness. The suspect initially left the scene but later returned to strangle Fang with the string from his own pants, ensuring his death before dragging the body into the pit. Afterward, the suspect picked up his girlfriend and revisited the pit to observe Fang’s body before leaving the scene.
CCTV footage captured A riding the victim’s motorcycle with his girlfriend, holding her close, shortly after the murder. Police also interviewed the second friend who had been dropped off earlier. He confirmed that they were all part of the same group, with A being the leader who often forced Fang to give him rides home. On Sept. 25, after school ended at 1 PM, the three rode home together, with Fang dropping off this friend first. He stated that everything seemed normal at that time, as the group had been chatting casually. He only learned about the murder when Fang’s body was found.
The suspect’s relatives claimed they were unaware of his involvement in the murder, noting that he had been living normally at home for five days after the crime, without showing any suspicious behavior.
The police have charged the suspect with premeditated murder, concealing a corpse, and robbery leading to death. Authorities plan to question the friend who was with them on the day of the incident, as well as the suspect’s girlfriend, to determine if they were involved. If evidence of their complicity is found, they will face charges accordingly. (TNA)
