Another autopsy will be conducted on the body of a young woman whose death last month stirred a debate over exploitation of Thailand’s promotional models at the request of her family.
The second examination of Thitim “Bell” Noraphanpiphat was to begin today to address lingering doubts about the death of the 25-year-old model, known as a pretty, particularly the circumstances of an alleged sexual assault.
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Regional metro police chief Somruek Thongtao told reporters that the family wants more questions answered regarding Thitim’s sexual assault.
Seven people have been charged with crimes related to Thitim’s death, including Rachadech Wongthabutr, the male model who took her home from the party and was the first to be arrested. He was charged with counts including false imprisonment and sexual assault.
The family has not gone public with the nature of their concerns, but the police have been vague about what happened to Thitim at the house party in Bangkok’s Bang Bua Thong district on Sept. 16, the day she died.
The full results were shared with them earlier this month but never made public.
Check out our interactive timeline of the case
While biometrics from a smartwatch Thitim was wearing indicate her heart stopped beating about the time Rachadech took her from a private party to his condominium, the authorities have not been more specific about when the alleged assault took place and announced a wide, four-hour window for her time of death.
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That leaves unclear whether she was abused at the party, where a second woman alleges she was raped, or only by Rachadech, possibly after she’d already died.
Police arrested six others present or involved at the party after the other woman came forward to say she was likely raped there.
Results from the second exam are expected by Oct. 21.
Somruek did not respond to several calls for a comment this morning.
A victim’s rights crusader late last month gave police what he said was hard evidence Thitim was assaulted by multiple people at the private house party where she was last seen alive. The police say they have not closed their investigation.
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The second autopsy was requested yesterday at the Justice Ministry by her parents, Chavalit Noraphanpiphat and Supamas Noraphanpiphat. The results of the first autopsy, performed at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, will be reviewed by Thammasat University Hospital’s forensics department, which is conducting the second.
While the other six suspects have been released on bonds, Rachadech remains jailed at the Nonthaburi Provincial Court after it rejected requests for bail. Police say he maintains his innocence.
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