CHIANG RAI -A heartbreaking event unfolded in Chiang Rai when a grandmother, concerned after her grandson hadn’t visited in a while, checked on her family living in a remote mountain village. There, she discovered the bodies of her daughter, son-in-law and five-year-old grandson.
Police suspect the father, a member of the Lahu community, killed his wife and child before taking his own life.
On the evening of 10 May, villagers near Ban Romyen in Chiang Rai’s Muang district reported hearing three loud bangs from the family’s bamboo home. The next morning, the boy’s grandmother went to investigate. She opened the door to find all three family members dead in the main room.
Officers from Muang Chiang Rai Police Station arrived at the scene along with local officials. They found the father, about 30 years old, dressed in a blue T-shirt and trousers, with a homemade shotgun by his body. Three shots had been fired from the gun, and one round remained inside.
Nearby lay the mother, aged 30, with fatal wounds to her neck and head. She had bruises on her body, and vegetables were scattered nearby, as if she had been preparing a meal. Their young son had been shot in the head and died instantly. Nothing in the house had been stolen.
Neighbours and relatives said the couple, who had no history with drugs, often argued about jealousy. Their disputes were well known in the small community. Police believe that after a heated argument, the husband killed his wife, then shot his son, and finally ended his own life.
Police continue to collect evidence and speak with those who knew the family. Investigations will follow legal procedures as officers try to understand more about what led to this tragedy.
Murder-Suicides in Thailand
Thailand has a significant suicide rate, with approximately 5,000 suicides annually, equating to about 7.97 per 100,000 people in 2022, according to the Public Health Ministry. This marks an 11% increase since the COVID-19 pandemic began, attributed to economic pressures, mental health issues, and societal factors.
While suicides and homicides are tracked separately, murder-suicides are less commonly categorised, often falling under broader homicide or suicide statistics.
Homicides in Thailand often involve firearms or sharp weapons, with methamphetamine use frequently detected in toxicology reports. Male victims predominate, and homicides peak during hotter months. Murder-suicides may share these risk factors, particularly in cases involving domestic violence, financial strain, or substance abuse.
Murder-suicides in Thailand, while not extensively documented, appear to be driven by factors similar to those behind suicides and homicides: mental health issues, economic pressures, substance abuse, and personal conflicts.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
