PATHUM THANI — Renovations at an abandoned house in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district led to the grim discovery of a human skeleton hidden above a second-floor ceiling on Tuesday, police said.
The remains are believed to be those of Maikheu Chhean, 29, a Cambodian construction worker who disappeared approximately two years ago. Investigators found an identification card matching his name in a bag near the body.
The discovery occurred around 3:00 p.m. when Kanchana Charoenthong, 59, a worker hired to renovate the two-story home, used a PVC pipe to clear what she thought was debris from a hole in the ceiling. A human skull fell from the rafters as she prodded the area.
“I was shocked when the skull came down with the pipe,” Kanchana told investigators, adding that she immediately informed the homeowner.
Beside the skeletal remains, which were still clad in rotted clothing, police found a pair of wire cutters. Evidence at the scene indicated that electrical wires had been cut. Preliminary investigations suggest the man may have been electrocuted while attempting to steal wiring from the then-vacant property.
Neighbors reported that the house had been abandoned for several years and that wire thefts were common in the area. Local residents recalled that the man’s family had searched for him extensively following his disappearance two years ago before eventually returning to Cambodia when they could not find him.
Police have sent the remains to the Central Institute of Forensic Science for DNA testing to formally confirm the identity. Authorities said they are working to contact the victim’s family in Cambodia.