Pattaya ‘maritime murder mystery’ turns out to be fairy tale

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Pattaya Police arrive to investigate a mystery boat that washed up on Jomtien Beach with blood splattered across the deck, the captain missing, and a mirror broken.

A mystery boat washed up on Jomtien Beach with blood splattered across the deck, the captain missing, and a mirror broken.

The signs were ominous, straight out of a suspense thriller. But, in the end, it turned out to be nothing more than a minor marine accident after the wayward sailor turned up with a cut on his foot.



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Imaginations ran wild Nov. 25 when the small fishing boat was found grounded on Jomtien Beach around 1 p.m. No one knew where the boat came from, who owned it or why there were several blood splatters inside. The broken mirror pointed to a struggle. Perhaps there had been a murder at sea.

Bloodstains on the deck added to the mystery.

Then 28-year-old Siriporn Tatsanasomboon showed up to claim the vessel, telling story-spinners to calm down. The vessel belonged to her boyfriend Witton Kumlum, 37, who was safe and sound at home in Sattahip, probably sleeping.

She said her squid-fishing lover had pushed off about four days ago for a trip that usually lasted four or five days.

At midnight Witton had called her, mentioning he was being followed by another boat, which seemed worrying. But he called again at 3 a.m., never mentioned the other boat and said he had nearly arrived in Pattaya.

Two bloody knives and a broken mirror had imaginations running wild.

She thought it odd he went to Pattaya first and not directly home to Pratung Pier in Sattahip. But he showed up in the morning via baht bus with a cut on his foot for which he got medical attention in Pattaya.



Witton said he had accidentally kicked the mirror while the boat was unanchored and rocking.

Pattaya police want to chat with the clumsy squid-fisher to confirm his account.

Then Siriporn Tatsanasomboon showed up to claim the vessel, telling story-spinners to calm down.

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The vessel belonged to her boyfriend Witton Kumlum, who was safe and sound at home in Sattahip, probably sleeping.