PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: A family of four, one a 5-year-old girl, have been found dead with savage knife wounds at a rubber plantation in Bang Saphan Noi district.
The bodies were discovered at a rubber sheet warehouse, which also served as accommodation for workers, at a rubber plantation in tambon Chang Raek, said Pol Capt Charin Duang-ied, a deputy investigation chief at Bang Saphan Noi police station.
It was reported around 6pm on Tuesday.
All the victims were of the same family. Three were found dead inside the first room of the living quarters - Namphon Khamkhong, 30, of Narathiwat; his wife Mukda Ngokwisai, 27, of Chaiyaphum; and their daughter Nararak Khamkhong, 5.
The couple had their throats slashed, while the girl had knife wounds to her face, body and her right arm. The body of the fourth victim, identified as Namphon's father Prasong Khamkhong, 50, was found with his throat slashed in a makeshift shelter about 40 metres from the warehouse.
One knife and a sickle were found in front of the warehouse and another knife was found at the makeshift shelter. A doctor examined the bodies and said they had died at least 24 hours before being discovered, Thai media reported on Wednesday.
The plantation owner, Pornnipa Sae Liang, 29, found the bodies and alerted police. She said the victims worked for her as latex tappers. They had been employed there for about a month and stayed in the living quarters, together with two Mon migrant workers.
Mr Pornnipa said she had gone there to check the rubber sheets and found nobody was around. The living quarters were also locked. Her suspicions aroused, she looked through a ventilator into the living quarters and saw the bodies. The two Mon workers had disappeared, she said.
Police suspect the victims had quarrelled with the migrant workers. They were investigating.
