LOP BURI, THAILAND – Weeks after the disappearance of Rut “Top” Meneeprasert, police had nine suspects in their sights after his body was discovered in Lop Buri, with seven in custody and two still at large.
Missing person report after 18 February
Rut “Top” Meneeprasert had been considered missing since 18 February, after he left his home at about 5.45 a.m. to drive to work. His departure that morning was the last time he was known to be seen alive.
His mother filed a missing person report on 19 February at Sutthisan Police Station. She told officers that this was the last known location of her son.
CCTV footage leads investigators to Soi Ratchada 18
Investigators reviewed CCTV footage along the route he was believed to have taken and identified a scene in Soi Ratchada 18, where Top had parked his white Honda HR-V. The images became a key element in reconstructing his movements.
According to police, a grey Toyota Fortuner and a motorcycle blocked the vehicle. Several men then allegedly forced Top into the SUV, where his trail went cold.
Trail leads to Samut Prakan
According to investigators, the abducted man was subsequently taken to a rented house in Samut Prakan. The sequence of events inside and after this transfer was still being reconstructed.
Police described the incident as a coordinated act involving multiple participants. They focused on establishing the roles of each alleged accomplice.
Body discovered in Lop Buri
On 3 February, officers found the body of a man in an abandoned house in Chai Badan district, Lop Buri province. The remains were later identified as those of Rut “Top” Meneeprasert.
The exact cause of death remained under active investigation. Police did not release further details about the condition of the body or forensic findings.
Nine suspects, two still on the run
Based on the state of the investigation, nine suspects were believed to have been involved in the case. Broadcaster Channel 7 reported that seven people had been arrested, while two remained fugitives.
According to media reports, the suspects were divided into a group that allegedly carried out the crime and a second group that had supposedly commissioned it. Investigators were working to clarify the relationship between the two groups.
Motive: jealousy suspected as trigger
Police believed that jealousy might have been the motive for the crime. Video material found on Top’s mobile phone reportedly showed him with several women.
His girlfriend, with whom he had reportedly been in a relationship for five to six months, was summoned for questioning. No details of her statement were made public by the authorities.
Two soldiers among the suspects
The Facebook page Big Krien reported that two of the suspects were soldiers holding the rank of acting second lieutenant. An official confirmation from the armed forces had not yet been issued.
Those arrested were initially charged with unlawful detention under Section 310. They denied the accusation of murder and claimed they had only restrained the victim.