Police confirmed yesterday, July 23, that human remains found in a Surin rice field belonged to a psychiatric patient who had been missing for 25 days. The discovery came after a dog was seen carrying a severed human hand nearby.
The remains were found in Kae subdistrict, Rattanaburi district, after police searched the area following the discovery of the hand, which still wore a black wristwatch.
Investigators later located the body of a man in a nearby rice field with his right hand missing. A stainless steel knife was found beside the body.
Police identified the deceased as 48 year old Kosit after examining the black wristwatch, clothing and missing persons records, with relatives also confirming his identity. Kosit had been missing since June 28 after leaving his home on foot.
Relatives told investigators that Kosit had stopped taking medication for his psychiatric condition before he disappeared. They said his symptoms worsened, causing him to become increasingly paranoid and fearful that his family would take him to hospital.
According to relatives, he left home carrying a stainless steel knife before disappearing into nearby fields and woodland.
Officials believe Kosit may have become lost before dying from dehydration, lack of food and exhaustion, with his medical condition also considered a possible contributing factor. By the time investigators found him, police believe he had been dead for several days, and his body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
Investigators said stray dogs might have scavenged the body and carried away the missing right hand, which was later discovered by a resident.
Neawna reported that the family told police they do not suspect foul play. However, the body has been sent for a full post-mortem examination as police continue their investigation.
In similar news, a stray dog brought a bone from a roadside grassland onto the road in Tak, leading to the discovery of a sack containing the decomposed body of an unidentified young girl.
The story Severed hand found by dog confirmed to belong to missing Surin man as seen on Thaiger News.
