MUKDAHAN – The Thai criminal case that has captured the attention of Thais for three years, the discovery of the body of a 3-year-old girl named “Nong Chompoo” (Little Chompoo) on a mountain in Kok Kok village in Mukdahan province, was concluded this week with the conviction of the girl’s uncle, Mr. Chaiyaphol Wipha, or “Uncle Pol,” to 20 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and abduction of a child under the age of 15. The main evidence was the hair.

According to the investigation, Uncle Pon had an appointment to send a monk to another district on the day of the occurrence. As a result, it is assumed that he had good intentions to take Nong Chompoo on a trip with him. However, an unfortunate situation occurred—the youngster may be crying uncontrollably. As a result, Uncle Pon, who has an easily agitated nature, left her in the jungle, thinking he would return later to pick her up.

When he returned, however, he discovered that everyone was seeking the girl. His first words were, “Why does Nong Chompoo’s mother have to make such a deal?” After then, he vanished for two hours, during which time it is thought he moved the girl’s body to hide on the mountain.

Pol Col. Phadej Ngamlamom, deputy commander of the investigator in the Nong Chompoo case, said the case took a relatively long time to clear up because many steps were involved in the investigation and verification process, including DNA tests and expert opinions from various fields. The main piece of evidence in the case was the child’s hair, which was cut off after her death, according to superstition.

The authorities discovered that there were signs at the crime scene that the perpetrator had cut off a tuft of the child’s hair. The cut hair was found at the crime scene on the hill, 50 strands in total. The cuts were made with a knife. As the area was muddy, the first cut was not successful, so the perpetrator had to make a second cut. This is the peculiarity of the 16 strands of hair found in Uncle Pol’s car.

The authorities separated the hair that had fallen out naturally from the hair that had been cut off with a knife. The cut hair was then subjected to a test and it was found that the cuts were identical. In other words: If two strands of hair, one in the car and one on the mountain, have identical cuts, it means that they were once together and were cut at the same time with the same weapon.

The cuts were examined with a high-powered microscope and it was found that the two strands of hair were not identical, but they were close together and the cuts were identical, with two cuts from two cuts.

In this case, 3-year-old Nong Chompoo disappeared from home on 11 May 2020 and was found dead on the afternoon of 14 May 2020 on Phu Lek Fai, about 3 kilometers from her home. The body was not wearing any clothes, which came as a big shock to society. There were also questions about why a 3-year-old child would go up the mountain and how she would get there. It was eventually concluded that the incident was a murder, with the body dumped to cover up the crime. The summary of key evidence and witness testimonies in the investigation includes the following eight points:

1. The difficult and steep terrain with gradients of more than 60 degrees is beyond the capabilities of the 3-year-old Chompoo and blocks all paths.
2. The energy from the last meal was not enough for Chompoo to walk to the place where the body was found.
3. Local villagers confirm that a 3-year-old child can only climb up to the second level of the Phu Lek Fai.
4. A case study of a villager who disappeared in the forest revealed that the person was found within one night.
5. Doctors claim that the developmental stage of a 3-year-old child does not allow independent climbing.
6. The naked state of the body, with Chompoo’s parents affirming her inability to undress.
7. The first evidence at the crime scene shows that Chompoo’s hair was cut off with a knife, indicating the involvement of another person.
8. Chompoo’s personal characteristics, including a fear of heights and the forest, as her parents confirm that she has never ventured into the woods behind the house.

The judgment serves as additional proof of the effectiveness of the investigative efforts in this challenging case.

Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukvimol, the National Police Chief, praises the officers and expresses satisfaction with their work, acknowledging the difficulty of the case due to the lack of eyewitnesses.

The Commissioner praises the investigators’ commitment in obtaining important forensic evidence, including the cut strands of hair, and in securing witness statements. This extensive evidence contributed to the court’s confidence in reaching a verdict.

He also emphasizes the importance of this case as a model for future improvements in investigative work. He underlines the need to improve the behavioral analysis of criminals and traditional investigative methods. He announces plans to train new investigators to raise their skills to international standards.

As to the allegations of the suspect, Uncle Pol, that he was not treated fairly during the search of his car, Pol. Gen. Torsak explains that it is the suspect’s right to challenge this and that the law enforcement authorities will proceed based on the initial evidence and testimonies. He clarifies that the decision to press charges was made due to significant doubts and invites the suspect to present additional evidence in court.

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