The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is offering a reward of 2 million baht for information that could help solve the murder of a Japanese tourist in Sukhothai, which occurred 17 years ago.
The case involves 27-year-old Tomoko Kawashita, whose body was discovered in the Sukhothai Historical Park on November 25, 2007, with evidence of assault and a fatal wound to her throat. Despite the passage of time, the investigation reached a standstill, leading the DSI to take over in 2013 from local police, who had failed to identify suspects.
The renewed push for leads coincides with a visit by the victim’s parents, Yasuaki and Eiko Kawashita, who, along with officials from the Japanese Embassy, met with Justice Minister Pol Col Thawee Sodsong to discuss the case. During the meeting, attended by DSI and other governmental representatives, the Kawashitas requested an exemption from the statute of limitations, which is set to expire in 2027, citing practices in Japan where murder cases are not subject to such limitations.
Pol Col Thawee pledged to explore the possibility of amending laws to extend the statute of limitations for murder cases and assured that the victim’s family had received compensation as per Thai law, with further considerations for additional compensation being discussed.
Despite extensive DNA testing of 379 Thai men and advances in DNA technology in 2020 suggesting the suspect might not be of Thai descent, the case remains unsolved. (NNT)
