Japanese tourist slain at ancient capital

[Fidel]

(dpa) - A Japanese tourist was slain and robbed over the weekend while visiting Thailand's ancient capital of Sukhothai during Loy Krathong, or the Water Candle festival, police said Monday.

 

The body of the tourist, identified only by her first name Nomoko, was found with her throat slashed and her possessions stolen Sunday in the grass at the side of the road leading to one of the more remote ruins of the Sukhothai cultural heritage site.

 

Police said the woman rented a bicycle on Saturday to visit a temple on the outskirts of the main Sukhothai complex, a UNESCO Heritage Site.

 

Sukhothai Police Chief Major General Thirrin Padungchiwit ordered a manhunt for the perpetrators of the murder.

 

"This is a priority case because it has damaged the reputation of Sukhothai and the entire country," said Thirrin.

 

The ancient ruins of Sukhothai, which was Thailand's main kingdom between 1250 to 1376, is a major tourist draw during the Loy Krathong festival, observed in Thailand on the night of the full moon in November by floating small vessels with candles and decorations in lakes, ponds and rivers to carry away one's sins.

 

Altogether 12 people, including the Japanese tourist, died during this year's Loy Krathong, victims of firecrackers, road accidents, brawls and at least one murder.

 

Source

[Flashermac]

Sukhothai used to be notorious for gangsters, but allegedly the city had been cleaned up. Years ago one of my students told me he saw a gunman try to rob a couple at the old city, only to be chased off by the guy - who also was packing a pistol.

 

 

[chuckwoww]

Sukhothai used to be notorious for gangsters, but allegedly the city had been cleaned up.

 

Very true. I was warned about going too far on a bike there years ago. Didn't listen and got away with it. I guess the local bandits are still picking off strays.

[Torneyboy]

You were very lucky ..

[Flashermac]

Back in the 1970s, when I was a PC vol, I knew a PC vol assigned to the secondary school in Sukhothai. One day he was robbed at gunpoint a few miles outside the city. The thieves took his motorcycle, money, wallet, watch and shoes. He heard them talking to each other and realised they were discussing what to do with him. One of the thieves thought they should shoot him, saying it was getting dark and something might happen to him if they left him out there alone. He quickly interrupted and said he didn't mind taking his chances! They decided to leave him unharmed and road off. He managed to hoof it to where he could hitch a ride into town and contacted the police. The cops caught they idiots the next day, since they were well known and the victim picked their photos out of the book of local criminals.

 

 

[Flashermac]

THE NATION

27 Nov 2007

 

Japanese woman slain in Sukhothai

 

 

A Japanese tourist has been found murdered in Sukhothai province, where she was visiting a Loy Krathong festival over the weekend.

 

Tomoko Kawashita, 27, was found dead at around 1pm on Sunday in a small jungle near Wat Saphan Hin. She was last seen at 7am while renting a bicycle from a shop in Muang Gao urban area.

 

Her body had three stab wounds to the neck and one to the waist. Pol Colonel Somboon Tantrakool, a forensic expert, said there was evidence indicating "signs of sexual violation", but it would take another week for lab tests to confirm them.

 

Quoting witnesses, police said Kawashita checked into a guesthouse at around 10pm after arriving in the northern province at about 6pm on Saturday to join the festival at Sukhothai Historical Park.

 

Kawashita returned to the guesthouse at around 2am to move her luggage to an unknown location. She was seen next at 7am renting a bicycle from a shop known as "Rerng Phoolpherm".

 

Police questioned a group of six Thai high school students seen with Kawashita while they were all entering the Park on Saturday evening. The questioning continued throughout Sunday night and the students were allowed to go home when police said they were not suspects.

 

Police later obtained video clips shot with the students' mobile-phone handsets to try to find clues to the murderer, but admitted it was difficult as many thousands of people had visited the site.

 

A police source, quoting private security personnel, said no vehicles or motorcycles had entered the Park, indicating the murderer could be a local, who killed her between 9am and 10.30am on Sunday.

 

The site where Kawashita's body was found was an isolated spot, indicating the murderer could have been waiting in an ambush to rob her or to rob and rape her, said the source.

 

Kom Chad Luek newspaper said Kawashita had about Bt3,000 in her pocket when her body was found. There was no immediate information about whether the camera she carried was found with the body.

 

Kawashita's body is now at the Police General Hospital for a detailed autopsy.

 

Sukhothai Police chief Maj-General Sirin Phadungchewit ordered a manhunt in the area.

 

"This is a priority case because it has damaged the reputation of Sukhothai and the entire country," he said.

 

Meanwhile, a Dutch man was stabbed late Sunday night in a robbery in Phuket.

 

Thomas De Clerk, 51, sustained two knife wounds to his left waist and his left hand in a struggle with the lone robber, who had snatched a belt pack from him. De Clerk chased and caught the robber and was trying to get his belongings back. His wife, Maria Crozen, 45, was unharmed.

 

The robber was around 170-cm tall, and wore a baseball cap, a dark long-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers, de Clerk said. The items stolen were a camera, some cosmetics and 20 euros.

 

 

[Flashermac]

THE NATION

28 Nov 2007

 

Thailand was dream destination of slain Japanese tourist

 

 

Japanese murder victim Tomoko Kawashita had saved money for her Thailand trip by taking extra jobs and was especially attracted to the Loy Krathong festival.

 

Yasuaki, Kawashita's father, said his daughter loved Thailand but had died undeservedly in a country where the people were nice and held the same Buddhist beliefs as his daughter did.

 

Speaking through translators, he said: "I cannot comprehend why such a thing has happened to my daughter."

 

The father pleaded with those who had clues to the murder to come forward and called for speedy action by Thai police to arrest those responsible.

 

Yasuaki, his wife Eko and son Hiroshi conducted a Buddhist ceremony at the scene where Tomoko's body was found. Escorted by tourist police, they later went to the Old City Guest House where the victim checked in when she first arrived in the province, and the Lampang Elephants Conversation Centre, which she visited afterwards.

 

Police called a meeting of the owners of all guesthouses and tourist lodging services in Sukhothai province to sift through information for possible clues leading to Sunday's murder of the Japanese tourist.

 

Investigators are also looking for a Japanese man seen together with Kawashita in the Sukhothai Historical Park during a Loy Krathong festival on Saturday to question him.

 

A senior police officer had earlier dismissed the unidentified Japanese as a suspect, but sources familiar with the investigation said the man was still being sought.

 

A Bt10,000 reward has been offered by a senior officer to any policemen who uncovers clues to the murder or arrests the suspect. A thorough search was earlier conducted by a 250 strong force in a 2km radius around Wat Taphan Hin where Kawashita's body was found on Sunday.