CHIANG RAI – Police have arrested Song Po, the suspect in a double homicide, after a five-day search. He was captured when hunger forced him out of hiding in the forest to ask for food from locals in Tab Tao village.
The arrest took place around 8:30 p.m. on June 13. Officers from Wiang Kaen Police Station in Chiang Rai, regional special forces, and military units joined forces to apprehend Song Po, 55, whose surname is withheld. There was a warrant from the Thoeng Provincial Court for intentional murder.
On June 8, Song Po allegedly killed his ex-wife and her younger brother at their home in Pang Kha, Ban Po, in the Wiang Kaen district. He then fled into the nearby forest along the Thai-Lao border.
From the day of the crime, police, special weapon teams, local officials, rangers, and a K9 unit from the Border Patrol Police launched a search. They used tracking dogs and searched the forest for five days.
On the evening of June 13, Song Po, unable to withstand the hunger, left the forest and approached a resident in Tab Tao village, Thoeng district, asking for food. The homeowner recognized him and quickly alerted authorities, who arrived and made the arrest.
Song Po is now in custody and will face charges as the investigation continues. Officers are also looking into his escape route and whether others helped him during the manhunt. His arrest has brought relief to people in the area, who were worried about their safety.
