Police make grisly find at Bangkok vegetarian eatery

[Update, Nov 2]: Thai police have clarified in a statement that the flesh of a murdered man was not served in the food at a vegetarian eatery in Bangkok - information which had been circulating in foreign media reports.

According to Thai-language news site Khaosod, the restaurant was not open for business at the time of the incident as it was under construction.

The victim's body was found in a septic tank of the eatery on Oct 23 after his brother reported him missing.

When the police rushed to the deserted eatery, they found its kitchen walls splattered with blood and its floor covered by pieces of human flesh.

A further check of the premises revealed that the body of a 61-year-old man was dumped in a septic tank.

The disfigured victim was identified as Prasit Inpathom, a frequent patron of the eatery who was last seen having drinks there on Oct 21.

According to reports, Prasit sustained grave injuries from a fight with the eatery's boss. He was hit in the head with a blunt object and had multiple knife wounds on his body.

Police are now on the hunt for the suspect.

Last week, Chinese media outlets Apple Daily Taiwan and Oriental Daily had reported that diners at a vegetarian eatery in Bangkok were shocked to find minced meat in their noodles and informed local authorities. Oriental Daily also added that the eatery's boss had attempted to dispose of the body by cooking and serving it to customers, 

minlee@sph.com.sg