British boy, 16, is found dead with head wounds in a Thai forest: police search for missing teenager’s girlfriend
- British teen was found dead after dating a girl on a motorbike
- Thai police have said Ben may have been the victim of a phone robbery
A British teenager has been found dead with head injuries in a forest in Thailand – and police are now searching for his missing girlfriend.
Woramet Ben Taota, 16, went on a motorcycle ride with Yam, also 16, in his hometown of Lampang on Saturday, but did not return home.
Local police said they received a report on Sunday morning that Ben had been found dead in a forest in Ban Than district, with injuries that appeared to be blunt force.
Officers reported that the teen’s phone and money had gone missing from his shoulder bag and suggested he may have been robbed.
They think he was killed elsewhere and left in the woods because there were no signs of a struggle. His partner has not yet been found.
Woramet Ben Taota, 16, (pictured) went motorcycling with the girl named Yam, 16, in Lampang province on Sunday evening, but neither returned home
Police have launched a search for Yam (pictured), who was reportedly with Ben on Saturday
Thai media reported that Ben’s body was found by a garbage collector who was at work on Sunday morning.
Police Colonel Sittisak Singtongla, superintendent of the Mae Tha Police Department, said: “The station received a report at 10:15 am that a body had been found in the undergrowth.”
Investigation teams from Mae Tha Police Station and Lampang Provincial Investigation Team along with forensic officers, forensic medicine doctors and Tanna Krua Forest Rescue personnel were on the scene.
Thai media reported that the teenager was found with his back against a tree, wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans.
Police said the body has been taken to hospital for an autopsy.
“We are currently tracing people close to the victim, including his female companion. She is a key figure in this case, as she is the last person to see him alive.’
Ben’s mother, Ooy Taota, told police her son said goodbye to her on Saturday night, saying he was “going to work with friends,” but gave her no further details.
With the news of his death, friends took to Facebook to leave tributes for Taota.
The missing girl’s parents are said to have ‘begged’ the media to help find their daughter.
Ben was found near a tree in a forest, reportedly by a garbage man working on a Sunday
Police said they did not rule out motives and attributed the murder to a possible love affair, a personal conflict or a work conflict.
Police Colonel Sittisak added: “We have not finalized the matter.
“It is still unclear whether it was a robbery, because the phone and money of the deceased have not been found, but we cannot rule out other matters yet.”