PHETCHABUN, THAILAND – A long‑simmering dispute over a man ended in a fatal attack on a remote rice field, leaving a 54‑year‑old woman dead and a suspected rival on the run.
Body found on isolated rice field
Around midday on 5 December 2025, police in Lom Sak received an emergency call reporting a body on a rice field about 800 meters from Moo 1 village in Bung Khla. Officers found Frau Pippiriya (54) lying on her back with a cloth covering her head, wearing work gloves and rubber boots, indicating she had been caught during fieldwork. Next to her, investigators recovered a large garden hoe believed to be the murder weapon, as well as her motorcycle and mobile phone as evidence.
Love triangle suspected as motive
According to initial findings, the killing appeared to have had a personal background. Witnesses reported a loud argument between two women shortly before 10:00 a.m. at the field. At the center of the conflict was a man named Herr Thanaphon, who had previously been in a relationship with the now‑fugitive suspect Frau Kiam (51) before ending it earlier in the year and starting a relationship with the later victim.
Argument turned deadly within moments
Police stated that the verbal confrontation on the field escalated suddenly. Kiam allegedly grabbed the hoe and struck her rival, hitting the victim in the face and upper body with such force that she died at the scene from her injuries. After the attack, the suspect reportedly fled on her Yamaha Fino motorcycle, registered in Phetchabun, prompting a nationwide police manhunt.
Victim’s brother demands suspect surrender
The victim’s brother, Herr Thongchai, said he was in shock and confirmed there had been frequent disputes between the two women in the past, though they had not previously turned violent.
“She should turn herself in and take responsibility for what she has done,”
said Thongchai, brother of the victim. He added that his sister had fallen victim to senseless violence, while police awaited forensic and post‑mortem results to officially confirm the exact cause of death.
Quiet village shaken by rare killing
Residents of the usually peaceful village in Lom Sak were deeply disturbed by the brutality of the crime, which they described as extremely rare in their community. Neighbors struggled with the idea that a personal dispute on fields normally used to grow rice could end in such bloodshed, leaving the village stunned into silence. Police said they were using all available means to track down the suspect, as uncertainty and fear lingered over how a conflict could escalate so quickly and so violently.