BANGKOK, THAILAND – A dispute over a watch ended in a brutal attack and a body that lay hidden in a blue plastic box under the earth for days.
The Crate in the Garden Bed
Early in the morning of June 15, police broke down a locked door on the second floor of a house in Don Mueang. What they discovered was a deactivated marijuana grow room – and a fresh layer of soil that did not belong.
Within it, curled up, lay the body of 34-year-old Chaisit Khantha, also known as Poi Meesak, with an injury to his upper body.
The Fear of Witnesses
A friend of the deceased had been present during the dispute but remained silent for hours. The reason: the perpetrators had unequivocally threatened him and other witnesses with death should they report the crime.
Only when he felt he was in safety did he run to a cousin of the victim and raise the alarm. The cousin, in turn, informed the 38-year-old brother, Phuwanai Sukthong, who immediately rushed to the Don Mueang police station.
Dispute Over a Missing Watch
The fatal conflict is believed to have occurred on the evening of June 14. Three men from the deceased’s circle of friends showed up at his house, which served as a marijuana shop on the ground floor and housed a professional grow operation on the upper floor.
Chaisit Khantha accused one of the visitors of stealing his wristwatch. The exchange escalated in the living room, and the dispute turned violent.
Marijuana, Money, and a Double Life
The house was not only the crime scene but also the workplace and livelihood of the victim. Poi ran an open retail operation on the ground floor while cultivating and harvesting cannabis plants under artificial lights upstairs.
It remains unclear whether the thriving cannabis business or other financial demands played a role in the escalated encounter. The police are questioning several witnesses from the victim’s circle.
Two Arrests, One Fugitive
Following the discovery of the body, investigators acted swiftly. Two of the three suspects are now in custody, including the man believed to have wielded the knife.
Investigators seized blood-stained clothing and the murder weapon. The third individual, whose name has not yet been publicly released, remains at large.
Police Leadership Intervenes
The seriousness of the case alerted the leadership of Police Region 2 that same morning. Several high-ranking commanders, along with the deputy commander and the responsible superintendent, met at the Don Mueang station at 11:00 AM.
They jointly evaluated the evidence and coordinated the next steps in the manhunt for the fugitive accomplice. The investigation into the precise background of the dispute is ongoing.