Bangkok, Thailand — A Thai woman, allegedly one of the most prolific serial killers in the country, has been sentenced to death after being found guilty of murdering her friend with cyanide. The conviction on Wednesday marks the beginning of legal proceedings in which Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, 36, faces 14 separate murder trials.
Rangsiwuthaporn, believed to have swindled her victims of thousands of dollars, reportedly utilized the fatal chemical to eliminate those she had deceived. Her crimes came to light following her arrest in connection with the death of Siriporn Kanwong, who died abruptly after meeting Rangsiwuthaporn near Bangkok in April of the previous year. The two had participated in a Buddhist ritual of releasing fish into the Mae Klong river before Kanwong collapsed and later died.
Evidence linking Rangsiwuthaporn to the crime emerged when forensic tests detected cyanide in Kanwong’s system. Subsequent police investigation and fingerprint analysis on Rangsiwuthaporn’s vehicle, a Toyota Forerunner, further solidified her connection not only to Kanwong’s death but also to other unsolved cases dating back to 2015.
In a statement following the court verdict, Siriporn’s grieving mother, Tongpin Kiatchanasiri, expressed her relief. “The court’s decision is just,” she stated. “I want to tell my daughter that I miss her deeply, and justice has been done for her today.”
Investigators revealed a chilling pattern of deceit by Rangsiwuthaporn, who allegedly lured 15 individuals with poisoned “herb capsules,” leading to 14 deaths. She is said to have financed her online gambling addiction through loans obtained from her victims, in some cases amounting to as much as 300,000 baht (nearly $9,000). After poisoning her victims, she reportedly stole their jewelry and mobile phones.
Further complicating the case, Rangsiwuthaporn’s ex-husband, Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn, a police lieutenant-colonel, received a 16-month prison sentence, and her former lawyer was sentenced to two years for their roles in complicity in Siriporn’s murder.
As this harrowing case unfolds, Rangsiwuthaporn is slated to face 13 additional murder trials, amid charges covering around 80 criminal offenses. The sensational case highlights an alarming series of violent crimes in Thailand, echoing other high-profile cases such as the mysterious cyanide deaths of six foreigners in a luxury Bangkok hotel earlier this year, underscoring ongoing concerns about the use of the deadly chemical in criminal activities across the nation.