While the police have dismissed rumors circulating since yesterday about about the circumstances of an actress’ drowning death, they took a speedboat out last night to “simulate” conditions consistent with the speculation that’s been coursing through the media and social media.
Responding to questions about the rumors gaining steam since yesterday, Lt. Gen. Prachuap Wongsuk told reporters last night that the passengers on the boat with Tangmo when she drowned had changed their testimony. But that was before they took one of those passengers to a pier last night where they used a boat to try and replicate what led to her death Friday night.
As of this morning, no charges had been filed in the case relating to Tangmo’s death, which has become the focus of nonstop coverage and breathless tabloid headlines since she drowned during a night cruise on the Chao Phraya River.
Tangmo boat companion to tell truth about her death: reports
Calls to Nonthaburi provincial police and the national police went unreturned Thursday morning.
Her five fellow passengers behaved suspiciously following her disappearance, and their versions of events have fallen under scrutiny for being inconsistent and contradictory. Police yesterday said that GPS evidence contradicted one of their statements.
Forensic officers were still investigating the speedboat and taking blood, urine, and fingerprints from her companions: Tangmo’s longtime manager Itsarin “Kratik” Jutasuksawat, Wisapat “Sand” Manomairat, Danupat “Por” Lerttaweewit, as well as Paiboon “Robert” Trikanjananun, and Nitat “Job” Keeratisutthisathorn. They also checked them for wounds, according to media reports.
With them last night was Paiboon, who had been the only one not to give testimony in the case, saying he was ill due to “high blood pressure.”
Last night, at the pier, he told reporters that he apologized to the authorities as well as Tangmo’s mother, who insists her daughter was the victim of foul play.
Asked whether he was the one rumored to be operating the boat when Tangmo fell, Paiboon walked away and drove off.
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That further fueled speculation that he was not only operating the boat, but the one an associate of Tangmo’s claimed yesterday was going to come clean about her death.
Wednesday’s statement by actress Premyuda “Anna” Watsung ignited a frenzy.
According to the unverified rumors that followed, Tangmo lost her balance when someone inexperienced – possibly Paiboon – took the wheel of the boat, and fell into the water after someone – possibly Wisapat – let go of her hand rather than be pulled in with her.
In the swirl of information, it is impossible to separate the baseless speculation from leaks and insider disclosures where social and tabloid media intersect.
Indeed, autopsy results found yesterday that she died of drowning and had a large wound on her leg, adding to speculation she was wounded by the boat’s propeller blade when she fell.
The police did say that when they operated the boat last night, its propeller was not secured well and fell into the river.
If found to have lied about the circumstances of Tangmo’s death, the five face charges of negligence and making fraudulent statements to the authorities.
The police are expected to brief the public later today or Friday.
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Tangmo boat companion to tell truth about her death: reports
