A father who had been missing for five days was tragically discovered dead in a sugarcane field in Khon Kaen province following a dream that led relatives to his location. Police suspect the cause of death was an accident involving his vehicle.
The incident unfolded when officers from the Mancha Khiri Police Station were informed by residents of Nong No village about a body found in a northern sugarcane field. Responding officers, including Pongpichit Thanaphanpakdee and Suraphon Sinpheng, arrived at the scene yesterday evening, November 20, to investigate the discovery.
At the scene, a Ford pickup truck was found off the road in the sugarcane field. The vehicle’s windows were open, and the driver’s side door was ajar. A mat, bananas and an icebox were found in the back of the truck, while the keys remained in the ignition, set to reverse gear. No evidence of a struggle was found.
Nearby, the deceased was identified as 68 year old Nu Pen, lying face-up beside the truck. His right leg was pinned under the front wheel, with the left leg resting on the car door’s lower edge. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, emitting a strong odour.
Police arranged for villagers to use a tractor to move the vehicle, allowing a local foundation to remove the body. Initial examinations suggested that Nu Pen had been dead for approximately five days. It was suspected that he reversed the truck in the dark, it went off the road, and while attempting to use a jack to lift the vehicle, it slipped, pinning him and leading to his untimely death.
Nu Pen’s wife, 62 year old Buengliang, along with their daughter, son-in-law, and other relatives, visited the scene. She recounted that her husband routinely sold fresh vegetables at the local market, primarily produce sourced from nature. On the morning of November 15, he delivered some lemongrass to her at the market, stating he would gather more for future sales and visit their daughter in the fields.
After failing to see him later that evening, Buengliang assumed he stayed with their daughter. By the morning of November 16, without any sign of him, she reached out to their daughter, who confirmed he had not visited. Concerned, she began searching among relatives and friends, knowing he was a retired teacher who might have visited acquaintances.
“We tried calling him, and initially, the phone would connect, but nobody answered. By the fourth day, the phone couldn’t be reached, which heightened our worry.”
The family sought guidance from a fortune teller, who indicated that Nu Pen might be in the sugarcane fields. Despite searching daily in the Khok Pho Chai area, they found no trace of him or his vehicle. It wasn’t until a relative dreamt of him, instructing them to look after certain vegetables he had yet to pick, that they were drawn to the location.
The deceased man’s daughter, 45 year old Rita mentioned that villagers saw her father requesting a fertiliser bag for lemongrass before he disappeared. Despite extensive searches and social media posts, they received no leads.
“On Sunday morning, the phone stopped connecting entirely, leading us to suspect something was wrong. We feared foul play but hoped it wasn’t the case.”
Rita believed that due to her father’s peaceful nature, the incident was likely an accident. The area was known to be dark and he might have misjudged the path. The dream directed them to the pond near where he often collected water spinach. Upon following this lead, they discovered the truck, and subsequently his body, along with the misplaced mobile phone, dispelling fears of murder, reported KhaoSod.
“Finding his phone in the car put our minds at ease, confirming it was an accident. We now focus on arranging his funeral rites.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news.
Why might dreams or intuition play a role in finding missing persons?
Dreams might reflect subconscious insights, leading to unexpected discoveries, as seen in this case.
How does a community respond when a member goes missing, and what resources are typically mobilised?
Communities often unify, utilising local knowledge, social media, and sometimes unconventional methods like consulting fortune tellers.
What if this incident had occurred in a more urban setting—how might the search have differed?
Urban searches might rely more on technology, surveillance, and organized search efforts, contrasting with rural intuition-based methods.
How do cultural beliefs influence the search for missing individuals in rural areas?
Cultural beliefs, such as consulting fortune tellers or interpreting dreams, can guide search efforts in rural communities.
What preventive measures could be implemented to avoid similar accidents in rural environments?
Enhanced lighting, clear signage, and community awareness programmes might prevent such incidents in rural settings.
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