The body of a South Korean man, who disappeared after wading into the Ping River in Chiang Mai, has been recovered.
The man walked into the river last Sunday, August 11, and hadn’t been since. Witnesses told police at Chang Phueak Station that the man had got out of a tuk-tuk in the sub-district of Pa Tan and stripped down to his boxer shorts.
They say he then removed a laptop from a bag he was carrying, stamped on it, and threw money around, before wading into the river at a point opposite the Wang Sing Kham ice factory.
Near the middle of the river, he started swimming on his back and then disappeared near a bridge around 300 metres from the point where he’d entered the water.
The man’s possessions, including shoes, trousers, and a South Korean passport were found at the scene. His identity has been confirmed as 44 year old Won Chang.
His body was found yesterday, August 12, around a kilometre from where he walked into the river. According to a number of Thai media reports, a member of the public spotted the body and notified the authorities.
Police have determined the man committed suicide as a result of personal problems, however, his body has been sent for an autopsy to formally confirm the cause of death.
Meanwhile, the authorities are liaising with the South Korean embassy to notify the man’s next-of-kin.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai).
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
