Pattaya:
As of 1:00 PM on April 28, 2025, Pattaya police continued to detain Mr. Tong Yuan Fu, the Chinese suspect in the gruesome murder of a transgender woman in Pattaya as we reported here, for over three hours of interrogation since the morning.
During the interrogation, Mr. Tong Yuan Fu appeared visibly stressed and exhausted. Afterward, authorities escorted him to Pattaya Provincial Court for detention, under tight security. He was made to wear a helmet and bulletproof vest due to concerns of mob violence from the deceased’s relatives and angry locals. The police also opposed his bail, citing fears he might flee and the case’s shocking nature.
Later, relatives of the deceased, led by Ms. Kanjana Phannakha, 41, the sister of the victim, “Nong Note,” held a spiritual ceremony at the apartment where the incident occurred. Monks were invited to perform a soul-calling ritual for Nong Note.
The family carried a photo of the victim and conducted the five-minute ceremony before heading to the Forensic Institute at the Police Hospital. They plan to transport the body to Nong Khai Province for funeral rites immediately.
The family has also met with prominent LGBTQIA+ rights Groups SWING Thailand who have pledged to assist them in finding justice for Note and full accountability for the suspect. The father of the victim has called for the rarely used death penalty in this case, despite the victim’s confession.
