Chiang Mai, Thailand
Police in northern Thailand have arrested a 31-year-old man who confessed to the serial killings of three homeless men in separate incidents across Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces, authorities said on May 1st, 2026.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Panet Pooli, a 31-year-old drifter from Mae Yao sub-district in Mueang Chiang Rai district, was apprehended near Chang Phueak Market in Mueang Chiang Mai district. His arrest followed a swift investigation that used CCTV footage and coordination between police units.
A joint press conference led by Pol Lt Gen Krittaphol Yisakorn, commander of Police Region 5, along with senior officers from Chiang Mai, detailed how the two recent murders in Chiang Mai were linked to an earlier killing in Chiang Rai.
On April 29th, 2026, police at Chang Phueak station responded to a report of a burned body under the western side of Rattanakosin Bridge in the Pa Tan sub-district. The victim was identified as Mr. Boonreung Muensri, 51, a homeless man from Mae Sariang district in Mae Hong Son province. An autopsy showed he had been stabbed in the neck with a sharp object before being set on fire in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The following day, April 30th, officers from Mae Ping station discovered another homeless man dead under the Khruah Sali Wieng Ping Bridge in the Fa Ham sub-district. The victim was Mr. Jo Saengsen, 46, also from Mae Hong Son province, showing signs of blunt force trauma including bleeding from the mouth.
The third case dated back to January 7th, 2026, in Chiang Rai, where a homeless man was beaten to death with a rock and stabbed in the face near a public roadside in Mueang Chiang Rai district.
Pooli confessed to all three murders during initial questioning. He told investigators the killings arose from personal disputes within the homeless community over sleeping spots, belongings such as a mobile phone, drugs, and territory in public areas under bridges.
In one incident, he allegedly stabbed a victim after failing to retrieve a borrowed phone and then burned the body along with bedding. In another, he reportedly kicked and stomped the victim for more than 10 minutes after becoming irritated by body odor and demands for money.
Pooli, who was himself homeless and had a prior criminal record including drug offenses and theft, targeted fellow drifters in familiar environments. He was released from prison as recently as March 2025. Authorities stressed that the crimes stemmed from conflicts among the transient homeless population and were not linked to tourists, local residents, or random violence.
He now faces charges of intentional murder and destroying a body to conceal a death. Police said they will investigate any additional incidents during his travels, including possible time in Lampang province. Officials are also coordinating with social welfare agencies to address issues of vagrancy, begging, and drug use among the homeless in the region.
The quick arrest, aided by CCTV images showing the suspect in distinctive clothing, a black sleeveless shirt, red elephant-patterned pants, and white-soled sneakers, has helped calm local concerns after reports of multiple homeless deaths in a short period.
