Chiang Mai homebuyer finds skeleton inside foreclosed house

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, a prospective homebuyer inspecting a foreclosed residence made a startling discovery on September 15. The abandoned two-story wooden house, situated near a community market in San Phi Suea subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai district, had been seized by a bank and was scheduled for auction. The buyer, permitted to examine the property before purchasing, stumbled upon a bed on the ground floor concealed by a mosquito net.

Upon lifting the net, human skeletal remains lay exposed on the bed. Police, the village headman, and a forensic doctor from Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital responded to the scene and collected crucial evidence. The remains were subsequently sent to a laboratory for examination to determine the victim's identity and the circumstances surrounding their demise.

Local residents disclosed that the house had once belonged to an elderly woman who resided with her son. Neighbors last saw the pair approximately five to six years prior, and rumors circulated that the woman had moved to Chiang Mai city to live with her son. Consequently, they were unaware that she remained in the house after her disappearance.

Forensic analysis confirmed that the deceased was likely the elderly woman, though a formal identification has yet to be confirmed. Investigators suspect the remains may be hers, but the process requires further investigation. Neighbors reported no unusual odors emanating from the property over the years, though a foul smell was detected in the vicinity two or three days before the discovery, though its origin remains unidentified.

The police are awaiting forensic results to positively identify the victim and establish the cause of death.