‘Wife killer’ turns himself in

A man who allegedly beat his wife to death in Satun on Jan 10 has surrendered in Trang province, where he was hiding, according to police. Thanapat “Thon” Sanguankiew, 28, called Pol Col Sompong Suwanwong, a superintendent of the Crime Suppression Division, and asked to turn himself in. He met the police at a rest stop in Kantang district, where he was taken into custody and taken to Satun for questioning by investigators. Mr Thanapat said he decided to surrender because he was afraid he might be beaten up by the relatives of his wife, Sukanya “May” Binmad-ad, 28, whom he allegedly beat and strangled to death on Thursday. He also said he felt intense pressure from the police and social media users, who mounted a search for him after the killing became widely publicised. Mr Thanapat has reportedly admitted killing his wife, although he has not been charged yet. Witnesses said Mr Thanapat and his wife, with whom he has a three-year-old son, often argued. Their relationship was described by those close to them as “on and off”. In the early evening of Jan 10, the couple had a heated argument at their home in tambon Klong Khud in Satun’s Muang district. Mr Thanapat kicked and punched his wife before throttling her, according to police. Later, Mr Thanapat took his dying wife to his neighbours and asked them to call an ambulance, before going into hiding, police said.