Police late this afternoon played down speculation that one of the passengers aboard the boat where Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong died last week has admitted to lying about her death.
Amid deep doubts about the version of events given by the five people with Tangmo on Friday night, Premyuda Watsung, a Channel 8 host and apparent friend of Tangmo’s, took to Facebook to say the police would soon issue a statement about the development. Just before 6pm, the police issued a brief statement that neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, but urged the public not to jump to conclusions.
Before that, an online community that frequently posts leaked and well-sourced information wrote this afternoon that Tangmo lost her footing when the boat lurched because someone inexperienced had taken the wheel. Tangmo, according to the unverified report, grabbed someone’s hand, who let her go for fear of being pulled in with her.
Police to polygraph Tangmo’s five companions on fateful cruise as whodunnit fever sears Thailand
Media outlets including Channel 3 news say they have confirmed the development with police sources.
Tangmo’s body was found near the Pibun Songkhram Pier on Saturday, one full day after she fell from a speedboat on a night cruise of the Chao Phraya River.
In recent days, there has been widespread skepticism about the people with Tangmo on the boat. The accounts of the five other passengers about what happened have been inconsistent and contradictory, with some things proving inaccurate.
Tangmo’s mom stated that none of the five could be reached for hours after her daughter’s disappearance.
Update: Loose propeller, reticent witness fuel frenzy of ‘Tangmo’ rumors
The mysterious circumstances of her death have become a singular national obsession, and suspicion has increasingly been cast on the behavior of her longtime manager, Itsarin “Kratik” Jutasuksawat.
Itsarin has sworn that she was with Tangmo when she fell from the back of the boat while urinating. She has also insisted that Tangmo did not know how to swim, though evidence has surfaced that someone with access to the 37-year-old actress’ Instagram account removed all photos showing her swimming.
The police said they would subject all five to polygraph tests yesterday, but there has been no further word on the results.
This is a developing story and may be updated without notice.
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Police to polygraph Tangmo’s five companions on fateful cruise as whodunnit fever sears Thailand
