BANGKOK – Police report a 28-year-old man was found dead inside a Nonthaburi townhouse on June 5, 2026, days after allegedly meeting a friend on a gay dating app. The homeowner, who allegedly slept next to the decomposing body and tried to hide the smell with ammonia, has fled the scene.
Police are now urgently hunting for the suspect, suspecting the victim was lured into a deadly trap. The incident has deeply shaken the Bang Bua Thong community and raised serious questions about the dangers of online dating.
The grim reality came to light when neighbors could no longer ignore a terrible odor coming from a two-story townhouse in the Bang Rak Phatthana subdistrict. Katha, a 40-year-old neighbor who lives right across the street, told reporters she noticed the strong smell had been lingering for nearly a week.
Concerned that something was terribly wrong, Katha reached out to a rescue worker who lived nearby. Together, they peeked into the back of the house and spotted a lifeless body. They immediately called the authorities to investigate.
Pol. Col. Thassakorn Konthong, the Superintendent of the Bang Bua Thong Police Station, led a team to the scene alongside forensic experts and rescue volunteers. Inside, they found the victim on the staircase landing.
The 28-year-old man, identified only as Sakdinon, was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and a long-haired wig. Investigators also found a waist bag containing three to four syringes near his body. Based on the condition of the remains, police estimate he had been dead for at least a week.
Missed Emergency Calls and a Mother’s Heartbreak
The victim’s mother later provided heartbreaking details about her son’s final hours. She explained that on the evening of May 26, Sakdinon told her he was visiting a friend near Wat Lad Pla Duk. Because he was short on cash, he messaged the homeowner, who told him to use a ride-hailing app to get to the house at around 7:30 p.m.
Tragically, the mother woke up the next morning to find seven missed emergency calls from her son. All the calls were made around midnight. Because she was deeply asleep, she missed his desperate attempts to reach out for help.
After that night, she completely lost contact with him and filed a missing person report. According to her interview with Channel 7 News, her son had initially connected with the suspect through a gay dating app.
The homeowner, a 28-year-old LGBTQ+ man named Suraphat, is now the prime suspect in this intense investigation. The actions he allegedly took after Sakdinon’s death are deeply disturbing:
- Masking the scent: Police discovered that ammonia had been poured around the house in a desperate attempt to cover up the smell of the decomposing body.
- Living with the body: Authorities suspect Suraphat stayed in the house and slept near the body for several days before deciding to run.
- Fleeing the scene: Security camera footage from a neighbor captured Suraphat escaping. On the morning of June 2, at exactly 6:19 a.m., he was seen wearing a grey jacket and a full-face helmet, pushing a red motorcycle out of his gate before driving off alone.
Neighbors described Suraphat as a quiet, reclusive figure who rarely spoke to anyone, though he frequently had male visitors over. Katha mentioned that Suraphat would often sit in front of his house, talk to himself, and chant. Out of pity, Katha had occasionally shared meals with him.
A Disturbing Pattern of Captivity
This tragedy takes on an even darker tone when looking at the homeowner’s criminal history. Boonchuai Laomaneenopparat, the 58-year-old village headman, revealed that Suraphat has a known history of dangerous behavior.
Boonchuai previously dealt with a case where Suraphat held another man hostage inside the same house. During that incident, the captive was starved and left extremely weak. The village headman had to coordinate with local police to cut the padlock on the door and rescue the victim.
“This location has seen similar incidents happen repeatedly,” Boonchuai explained. “Strangers would visit often. This victim seems to be a new case, and it is highly likely he was lured here.”
The Bang Bua Thong police are working tirelessly to piece together the exact sequence of events. Forensic experts are conducting detailed examinations to determine the official cause of death, while investigators track CCTV footage to locate Suraphat.
This tragic end to a casual online meetup serves as a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that can come with trusting strangers on the internet. As the police hunt for the missing suspect, a grieving mother is left searching for answers.
