The Thonburi court yesterday handed down a life sentence to Apichai Ongwisit – a Thai man with aliases Ek and Ice – who was known in the Thai media as “Ice Heep Lek” or “Ice Metal Casket” for keeping a woman in a metal box.
In a sensational case in which many body parts have been found, it is of note that murder ran in the family after his father killed a young girl in a rage years before.Â
Wealthy property heir Apichai Ongwisit, 40, is being held by police in Bangkok, after the body of his former girlfriend Warinthorn Chaiyachet, 22, was found in the pond six months after she disappeared.
Police decided to search the pond after receiving a tip-off, and have found 298 other bones. They believe there may be at least two other victims.
Apichai was also ordered to pay 2.9 million baht to the mother and child of his young victim.
The criminal court heard that  Apichai had detained Warinthorn or “Kukkik” at his house for two days in August 2019.
She was tortured and assaulted before a hole was dug and accomplices aided in the burial and concealment of the corpse, it was alleged in a suit filed by relatives.
There was evidence that the defendant had used an iron bar to beat the victim before binding her and forcing her to sleep in the metal casket at his home.
The court rejected his claim that he acted in a sudden rage after the victim threatened to split up with him.Â
He was sentenced to life and must pay 1.7 million baht to the victim’s mother and 1.2 million to her child.
The defendant was already sentenced to more than ten in March last year for drug matters, eleven years for rape using a firearm in December last year, and possession of meth and narcotics earlier this week in which he was handed 25 years and a 750,000 baht fine.Â
The court’s decision was streamed via video conferencing to the remand prison in Thonburi where the defendant was held.Â
Thaivisa notes that murder runs in this family – a rich family of market traders.
His father was Chalermchai Ongwisit who used to run the now closed Ongwisit market. He was arrested in the early eighties for killing a 15-year-old girl after she broke his ornamental tropical fish tank.
Chalermchai concealed the murder by cutting up her remains and spreading the parts all over the neighborhood. He was shot dead after his release from prison.
Police Colonel Jirakrit Jarunpat, commander of the Women’s and Children’s Welfare Division, said the investigation suggests there are many more victims who were killed by Ongwisit, who has been remanded in custody while investigators consider further charges.
The police chief said: ‘The investigation has found several women who were involved the culprit have disappeared. They include his friends, girlfriends and prostitutes.