Embassy Urges DSI To Solve Murder Of Japanese Woman

(22 October) The Embassy of Japan has urged the Thai authorities to speed up the investigation into the murder of a Japanese woman at a historic site of Sukhotai province 6 years ago.

The Japanese tourist, Ms. Tomoko Kawashita, was found dead near the entrance of Wat Saphan Hin temple in 2007. Autopsy reports concluded that she had died from stabbing wounds in her stomach and her neck.

The case remains unsolved, and the length of the investigation has sparked some criticism.

The victim′s father along with journalists from the Japanese state news agency NHK have visited Thailand twice in 2012 to demand progress in the case. However, they were disappointed when Sukhothai police said they could not reveal much about the case, as it might be harmful to the investigation.

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The case was soon taken up by the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) which had promised to solve the murder in due time. It has dispatched forensic teams to the site last week for a fresh new start in the investigation.

Yesterday, diplomats from the Embassy of Japan also met with DSI Security Crime Bureau director Pol Lt Col Pongin Inkhao to discuss the matter.

According to Pol Lt Col Pongin, DSI detectives had consulted the state attorney about the case to see if they need to gather additional evidence. So far, collected evidence had gone through several DNA testing by many authorities.

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He said the Japanese diplomats have demanded a new DNA testing of the evidence to be conducted in Japan. According to the Pol Lt Col Pongin, the laws permits the evidence to be tested abroad, but Thai officers are required to be present throughout the procedures.

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