Nightmare on Christmas: Man stabs female neighbour to death in Thai condo

While most were engaged in year-end festivities, tragedy struck a Thai woman on Dec 25 night.

Inthu-on Korharn, 23, was killed by her neighbour, The Bangkok Post reported.

The attacker tried to rape her before stabbing her with a knife inside a 10-storey condominium in Samut Prakan where they both lived. 

At 11pm, she was found dead in the lift lobby of the seventh floor with a stab wound to her thigh. An artery there was cut, causing Inthu-on to bleed profusely. 

According to Coconuts Thailand, a resident who lived on the same floor told police that he heard fighting coming from outside his apartment.

When he opened the door, he saw Inthu-on covered in blood, screaming, "Help! [The suspect] broke into my room and stabbed me." 

The resident immediately called the police. 

Upon arrival at the scene, the police locked down the entire building. They found blood-stained footprints from Inthu-on's room to the emergency exit staircase, which eventually led to an empty apartment on the fifth floor. 

A bloodied blue T-shirt and a knife sheath were found in the apartment's toilet. 

Police officers said that the suspect is believed to have attempted to clean himself and change into another T-shirt he had stolen from a rack on the third floor. 

The next morning, they arrested Nattachai Ardsamart, 31, for attempted rape and murder. The man was found in his apartment with a nail scratch on his left middle finger as well as a bruise on his left wrist. 

Police also found traces of blood in his toilet, sink and on a water container. 

Nattachai reportedly confessed to the crime and told the police that he was drunk at the time of the offence. He added that he was sexually frustrated as his wife had just given birth about two weeks ago. 

claudiatan@asiaone.com