Phuket City Police Chief, Col Sompong Thiparpakul, told The Phuket News today, “We are searching for a man named Aung Tun Tun who goes by the nickname ‘Dam’ or ‘Man’. He is 25 years old, about 170cm tall, has tanned skin and was living in Kathu.
“Aung has been charged with murder and having a weapon in public. The arrest warrant was issued on July 1. We have provided information to the Immigration Bureau and asked them to look out for him at every border,” Col Sompong said.
Lt Col Thaksin Piyotheppratan of Phuket City Police told The Phuket News today (July 5) that the woman’s friends and sister went to identify her body at Phuket City Police Station the same day that she was found after photos emerged on the news and social media. (See story here.)
“The woman was identified as 28*-year-old Myanmar national Nan Pan Mar Lar, nickname ‘Cherry’,” Col Thaksin confirmed. “She also lived in Kathu.”
Asked how police identified Aung as the suspect, Col Thaksin said, “We checked CCTV footage in the area which showed Aung driving a motorbike with Cherry as a passenger near the location where her body was found.”
Police confirmed that the autopsy of Cherry’s body revealed that she had been stabbed seven times; four times on the right side of her chest, once in the xiphoid process, once in the stomach and once in the right side of her body.
Police believe the motive behind the killing was jealousy.
The funeral was held yesterday morning at Anuphatkritdaram Temple.
* Correct age now confirmed by passport.