BANGKOK– A tragic case in Kamphaeng Phet Province has left a family grieving after a 52-year-old man who looked after a watermelon farm in Pang Sila Thong was found dead in a nearby teak forest after being mauled by a pit bull.
His body was discovered face down, with bite marks across his body and deep wounds to his neck and chest. Investigators also found signs he tried to escape, with scrape and crawl marks stretching more than 10 metres before he died.
The victim was identified as Mr Peyaow Saploet, 52, from Hin Dat Subdistrict, Pang Sila Thong District, Kamphaeng Phet. His family has been holding funeral rites at Wat Nong Kai Fa, with cremation scheduled for today.
Reporters, along with Sgt Maj Pratchakrit Saithip, founder of the page “Kamphaeng Phet, got a complaint? Tell it here”, visited the area with the victim’s family to check details of the incident.
Relatives said the attack happened at about 10.00 pm, in a teak forest close to the watermelon farm in Pho Thong Subdistrict, Pang Sila Thong District. The man’s body was found lying face down, with his hands positioned as if shielding his face.
Nearby, there were clear signs of a struggle and movement along the ground for more than 10 metres.
Close to where he died, a blood-stained branch was found. The victim had bite wounds across his body and severe injuries to the back of the neck and chest. The family believes he was attacked by a local pit bull.
Family fears the case will go quiet
After the incident, the pit bull’s owner, who lives near the farm, attended the funeral at the temple. The family says there has still been no discussion about compensation or taking responsibility.
That has left them anxious about whether the legal case will move forward. The victim was the main provider for the household. He supported four children and two grandchildren.
Mrs Montha Thiampho, 57, the victim’s wife, said she was out of the province on the day of the incident. She tried calling her husband from morning until evening but couldn’t reach him. She then asked the children to check the watermelon farm where he worked.
Later, she was told her husband had been found dead in the teak forest. She rushed back home straight away. She said she was heartbroken, describing her husband as a good man who worked honestly and looked after the family.
She added that she doesn’t know how they will manage from now on, and she wants fairness and clear responsibility from the dog’s owner. She also fears the matter could fade away without justice, and wants police to push the case forward.
Daughter found his body
The victim’s 16-year-old daughter, Sudarat, said her mother and younger brother called several times that day asking whether her father had returned home. She told them he still hadn’t come back.
She searched around the village until evening but couldn’t find him. At about 9.00 pm, she decided to go with her 17-year-old brother to the watermelon farm where their father worked.
They found his motorbike parked there, with his phone sitting in the front basket. She parked her own bike and searched the area. She then found her father lying face down. When she touched him, his body was already stiff.
She called her mother and siblings to come, and relatives later contacted the police to inspect the scene.
She said her father had always taken care of the family and worked hard to keep his children in school. She is struggling with the loss and worries she may not be able to continue her studies, as her father had been paying her school costs.
She is currently in grade 10 at Pang Sila Thong Sueksa School.
He was trusted and well-liked
Mr San Sarsiri, 38, and Ms Somying Thongkan, from Khlong Sombun Subdistrict, Khlong Khlung District, Kamphaeng Phet, said they own the watermelon farm and employed the victim.
They said they had known him for a long time and had hired him to care for the farm for more than two years. In their view, he was hard-working, dependable, and handled his duties well. They said he was friendly, never took advantage of others, and never had conflicts with anyone in the community.
They also admitted they still feel afraid to enter the land, as they have seen the same dog walking around the watermelon farm even after its death. They urged all dog owners to take responsibility and not let their dogs harm others. They want this case to serve as a warning so it doesn’t happen again.
According to the latest reports, officers at Pang Sila Thong Police Station plan to call in the victim’s family and the dog’s owner to give statements, and will proceed under the law once the funeral has finished.
