The 42 year old Chinese national, arrested for the murder of a 25 year old transgender woman in Pattaya, was denied bail after a three-hour-long interrogation today, April 28.
Officers cited the severity of the crime, along with concerns of his fleeing, as the reason.
Following the investigation, Tongyuen Fu, a was escorted to the Pattaya Provincial Court, where police implemented strict security measures, including having him wear a helmet and bulletproof vest due to concerns of potential mob justice from the victim’s family and angry locals.
Police also opposed bail, citing fears that Fu, from Hubei province, might flee and the emotional impact of the high-profile case, reported KhaoSod.
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Later, the family of the deceased, led by the victim’s older sister, invited Buddhist monks to perform a ritual at the crime scene. The family spent about five minutes with the ceremony before heading to the Police General Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Institute to receive the body.
Original story: Chinese man arrested for murder of transgender in Pattaya
A Chinese man accused of murdering a transgender woman in Pattaya was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, April 26, as he attempted to exit Thailand.
The victim, identified as 25 year old Woranan, a post-operative transgender woman from Nong Khai, was discovered by a housekeeper at a Pattaya apartment complex, who was conducting a welfare check.
Local police were called to the scene at around 10am yesterday. Residents reported hearing a heated argument earlier between 1am and 2.30am.
According to the housekeeper, around 2am she heard a loud argument between the two. She later heard the woman scream, “Let me go! Don’t hurt me!” followed by loud banging noises against the door, lasting for about an hour before falling silent. She informed the building manager in the morning, who instructed her to check on the room.
Woranan’s body was found in the bathroom, severely dismembered. It was reported in other media sources that the murderer ripped out her heart, lungs, silicone breast implants, and mutilated her genitals. A large bag containing scissors, equipment and clothes was also found in the room.
CCTV footage captured Fu Tongyuen leaving the complex hastily around 6am, carrying a suitcase. Officials stated that he had rented the apartment for a week, and his passport showed multiple visits to Pattaya as a tourist.
At around 1.45pm yesterday, immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport apprehended Fu as he tried to depart Thailand on China Eastern Airlines flight MU742 bound for Kunming, China. Officers also noted visible wounds on Fu’s face and body. Investigators immediately detained him for further legal proceedings.
Motives revealed
Additional details have emerged from Pattaya police regarding a suspected murder, though the motive remains uncertain. The suspect, Tongyong Fu, was transported back to Pattaya City for questioning, with an interpreter assisting.
On the evening of April 25, Fu met Woranun near South Pattaya Beach and exchanged contact information via WeChat. He claimed he was unaware she was transgender at the time. Later that night, around 9pm, they agreed to meet at his rented apartment in Soi Arunothai, Central Pattaya, agreeing on a fee of 8,000 baht for sexual services.
Fu alleged that when Woranun refused to proceed, he demanded half of his money back. A heated argument ensued, escalating into physical violence. He claimed Woranun kicked him off the bed, prompting him to retaliate by jumping on her, straddling her, and strangling her until she stopped moving.
After confirming her death, Fu dragged the body into the bathroom, where he mutilated the corpse with scissors, cutting from her neck down to her genitals and removing her heart. He claimed he wanted to “play with and tease” the body. Fu insisted he did not remove the missing lung.
Following the killing, Fu cleaned the body and the room before going to sleep. The next morning, he booked a flight, took a motorcycle taxi and a bus to Suvarnabhumi Airport, where he was later apprehended while trying to flee to China.
When questioned about his mental state, Fu said he had never sought medical evaluation and could not confirm any illness. He told police he acted out of extreme anger after being attacked and expressed a wish to apologise to the victim’s family.
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