Thai police today were gathering more evidence to support warrants for the arrest of three men suspected of kidnapping and murdering a Chinese music student in Bangkok.
Police in the northwestern metro district of Bang Yai released the identities of Chen Saikang, Zhao Pengfei, and Zhao Xiongfei, who are suspected of abducting, torturing and ultimately killing 22-year-old Jin Can after her ransom went unpaid. The three men are now believed to be in China.
The university music student’s body was found Saturday stuffed inside a rainbow-colored bag in a canal at a Nonthaburi banana plantation. She had sustained cuts across her body and been strangled with a sheet. Her body was discovered by a passing motorcyclist drawn by the smell of decomposition. Forensic examiners believed she most likely died Wednesday.
Prior to her body being found, officers at neighboring Nakhon Pathom province’s Thammasala Police Station were notified Friday by Mingkwan Narkhirun, who taught the victim at Bangkok Thonburi University, that his third-year student had been kidnapped.
The teacher said that Jin’s father, who lives in China and is also a music teacher, received a ransom call on Wednesday via WeChat demanding CNY500,000 (THB2.5 million). The kidnappers demanded the money be wired to a Bank of China account and sent an image of Jin with her hands and legs tied.
Jin’s father initially believed it was a joke and only contacted the authorities when he lost contact with his daughter.
According to police, she was last seen taking a taxi Tuesday from Bangkok Thonburi University to the Central Westgate shopping mall in Bang Yai. She was on foot when she was abducted by three men driving a red Mazda sedan.
The rented car used in the abduction was returned on Thursday, the same day the suspects left Thailand for Chengdu, China.
Thai authorities said they would use the warrants to submit a notice to Interpol.
Organized Chinese criminal activity has become increasingly brazen in Thailand from human trafficking gangs abducting Thais by the thousands to operating scam call centers.
Thai police have said there are Chinese gangs operating in Bangkok who are aware of Chinese travelers in the country and prey upon them.
Just last month, a young Chinese woman was kidnapped in the Ekkamai area and forced to transfer crypto assets. Three Chinese nationals were arrested and charged with abduction and extortion.
