Chinese Man Hiding in Woman's Bathroom Fatally Stabbed in Na Jomtien

A 20-year-old Chinese national, reportedly the son of a luxury yacht owner, was found dead in a rented room in Na Jomtien, Sattahip, near Pattaya, on Saturday morning after an apparent confrontation involving a knife. A 20-year-old man later surrendered to police while receiving treatment for an abdominal injury. The incident was reported at around 7:30 a.m. on August 8 at a three-storey accommodation in Na Jomtien, where the victim, identified as Chao Ke, 20, was found lying near the end of the bed in a ground-floor room. He was wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and black shorts. Police found several injuries believed to have been caused by a sharp object, including a large wound to the left chest area and two wounds to his right upper arm. A 21-year-old woman, identified as Kanyarat, who rents the room, was also found inside. She had an injury to her left palm and blood stains on parts of her body. She was reportedly shocked and was taken to Wat Yan Sangwararam Hospital for treatment. According to initial information, Kanyarat told authorities that the deceased was only an acquaintance. She initially declined to provide details about what had happened and asked to contact her boyfriend. The boyfriend, identified as Thanachot Sripaenphet, 20, a second-year vocational student, was later brought by his parents to the hospital to surrender. He had suffered an abdominal injury believed to have occurred during the confrontation. Thanachot told investigators that he had gone out with friends before returning to his girlfriend’s room to change clothes and shower before going to class. When he arrived, he urgently needed to use the bathroom and found that the door was locked from inside. He said he knocked and his girlfriend told him she was changing clothes and asked him to wait. When she eventually opened the door, he went straight to the bathroom without initially noticing anything unusual. Thanachot said he then opened the bathroom door and found Chao hiding inside. According to the suspect’s account, he picked up a knife from inside the room and confronted Chao. The two allegedly struggled after Chao pushed him and attempted to take the knife. Thanachot said he was injured during the struggle and tried to regain control of the weapon. He claimed that the incident became chaotic and that Chao was fatally wounded during the struggle. Thanachot said he could not clearly recall exactly what happened during the confrontation. After the incident, he drove away from the scene because he believed nobody would understand what had happened. He later contacted his mother and decided to surrender to authorities. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, including why Chao was inside the room and what led to the confrontation. The knife and other evidence from the room will undergo forensic examination. Kanyarat’s mother, Yaowarat Tanthikun, 45, said her daughter and Thanachot had been in a relationship for about a year and that she had never been aware of any serious problems between them. She said she learned about the incident after her daughter contacted her, but she did not yet know why Chao had been in her daughter’s room or what had triggered the confrontation. Police are expected to question those involved further after the injured parties receive medical treatment and forensic officers complete their examination of the scene.