Chinese Gang Suspected in Chon Buri Murder Case
Police are investigating a suspected Chinese gang in connection with the murder of an unidentified woman, whose body was discovered in a suitcase weighted with dumbbells in a Chon Buri reservoir.
The woman, believed to be between 30 and 40 years old, was found on September 3. Authorities estimate she had been dead for at least five days. Her nationality has not been confirmed.
SUV Rental Linked to Crime
Investigators are focusing on a bronze-grey Toyota SUV rented in Pattaya, which is suspected to have been used to commit the crime. The vehicle was reportedly used to purchase dumbbells at a shopping centre in Bang Lamung district, matching those used to weigh down the suitcase.
On September 6, Police Lieutenant Colonel Nitipoom Batrwong and forensic teams collected fingerprints, DNA samples, and evidence of car damage. The SUV’s front left skirt was cracked, with scrape marks and soil residue indicating contact with rough surfaces around the reservoir. DNA samples were collected from seven individuals, including the rental company owner and staff.
Rental Records Reveal Key Details
The SUV had been rented by two Chinese men from August 10 to September 10. The vehicle was picked up at Suvarnabhumi Airport by the men, one of whom was a returning customer.
On August 30, the SUV was returned early, accompanied by one Chinese man and two Thai women, citing urgent travel back to China. The vehicle had been cleaned meticulously but showed damage to the front skirt, for which the renter agreed to pay over 2,000 baht (US$62).
Rental staff reported nothing suspicious when the car was initially picked up on August 10, but the documents and photographs from the rental process are now pivotal evidence for the investigation.
Motive and Suspects Still Unclear
Authorities have not released detailed updates, but current evidence suggests the perpetrators are a group of Chinese nationals. The motive for the murder and the decision to conceal the body in a reservoir remain unknown.
The investigation continues as police attempt to identify and apprehend the suspects, with the SUV and its rental history forming the central lead in this grisly case.