AMNAT CHAROEN: A woman who went missing Wednesday afternoon was found dead in her car with a plastic bag over her head hours later in Lue Amnat district of this northeastern province.
The body of Duangchan Thaweephan, 33, was found in her locked Honda City sedan parked along the irrigational canal in tambon Puea after police arrived at the scene late Wednesday night.
Her head was covered by a plastic bag and there were bruises under her right eye.
There was no trace of a struggle inside the car, said police, who believed she might have been killed in another place and the body was later put inside the car and driven to the deserted area, Thai media reported.
Anant Sophaloon, 51, father of the victim, said he drove the car to pick up his daughter at Ubon Ratchathani airport on Wednesday morning. On the way home, Duangchan asked him to stop at an ATM to make cash withdrawals but he didn't know how much.
After they returned home, his daughter told him that she would go out. They had not spoken since.
After she did not return when it got late, his family posted on Hak Amnat Charoen community Facebook to seek help finding his daughter. Later, someone found her car and alerted police.
Winai Saisin, 50, village head of Nam Tuam village in Lue Amnat district, said local resident Srichan Pruethong, 55, had seen the car parked near the canal since 3pm on Wednesday.
When Mr Srichan returned home in the evening, he saw the Facebook post, said the village head, who was alerted by Mr Srichan.
Police assumed the murder might be motivated by theft or debt problems as the woman gave loans to local residents. They were investigating.
Pol Maj Gen Thawai Buranarak, chief of Amnat Charoen police, on Thursday inspected the scene, where the dead body was found. A manhunt was launched afterward.
