PATHUM THANI: The body of the 25-year-old Thai woman killed by her Thai roommate in their apartment room in Seattle, in the United States, has been flown back to Thailand for funeral rites in her home province.
The coffin bearing Kornkamol “Nong Am’’ Leenavarat, a post-graduate student in law, arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province around 10pm on Wednesday.
Her father Pawawin Leenavarat, a former deputy mayor of Thanyaburi municipality, in Pathum Thani province, and other family members were at the airport to receive her body, which arrived on Korean Air flight KE651. The body was taken by Thanyaburi Hospital ambulance to Wat Naboon in Thanyaburi district for funeral rites, from 7pm Thursday until Sept 26. The cremation will be on Sept 27.
Kornkamol “Nong Am’’ Leenavarat, 25. (Photo taken from Weersak Leenavarat Facebook page)
Kornkalmol, 25, and her roommate Thiti-on Chotchuangsap, 32, were found dead inside a University District apartment near the University of Washington, in Seatle, on the morning of Sept 4.
Kornkamol had several stab wounds. Thiti-on died from a single stab wound to the chest. The two women died on Saturday, Sept 1.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Seattle later ruled that it was homocide. Thiti-on stabbed Kornkamol to death and then fatally stabbed herself.
The grieving Mr Pawawin said Thiti-orn used to visit his daughter Karkamol at his home in Pathum Thani after "Nong Am" returned from the USA. He then knew that she was his daughter’s roommate and they studied together.
Since her death, his family had heard nothing from Thiti-on's family. He never thought they would be so black-hearted and remain out of touch.
He had never thought of taking any legal action against the family, but they should have come to talk with his family, Mr Pawawin said.
As the body of his daughter had now arrived home, he could hold funeral rites so that her soul would go to heaven.
Kritsada Leenavarat, mayor of Thanyaburi municipality and uncle of Kornkamol, said the US autopsy found that Kornkamol was murdered. He also said that Thiti-on's family had made no effort to contact them.
A Buddhist monk accompanies relatives as they prepare to take the coffin to Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, from Suvarnabhumi airport on Wedneday night. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)