CHIANG MAI — A 31-year-old homeless man has been arrested for a series of brutal killings targeting other homeless individuals, and has confessed to three murders in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces, according to police.

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The arrest followed the discovery of two bodies in separate incidents in Mueang district of Chiang Mai earlier this week, Police Lieutenant General Krittapol Yeesakorn, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, told a briefing on Friday.

He said a 51-year-old homeless man named Boonruang was found burned beneath the Rattanakosin Bridge in tambon Chang Moi on Wednesday morning. A day later, another homeless man identified only as Joe, 46, was found dead under the Krua Salee Wiang Ping Bridge in tambon Fa Ham of the northern province. Both victims lived in the same marginalised communities as their alleged killer, sharing the dangerous spaces beneath the city’s bridges and in its abandoned buildings.

Police tracked down the suspect, identified as Panae Pooli, near the Chang Phuak market on Thursday night as he attempted to flee the area. Officers seized personal belongings and clothing believed to have been worn during the attacks, which are now being examined for forensic evidence.

Krittapol said the case involved bold and brutal acts of violence that had caused fear among residents, particularly those living in homeless communities who often remain invisible to the broader public. Panae, a Chiang Rai native, has a history of drug-related offences and an unstable lifestyle, often moving between temporary shelters and construction jobs, investigators said.

CHIANG MAI — 1 May 2026, Police in northern Thailand have arrested a 31-year-old serial killer who confessed to killing three homeless men in separate incidents and burning one body to conceal the crime, authorities said.https://t.co/Rm0wpunVom pic.twitter.com/z3uwheLZMa

— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) May 1, 2026

During questioning, the suspect admitted to killing both victims in Chiang Mai. Panae reportedly told investigators the first killing stemmed from a dispute over a mobile phone. The suspect claimed the victim had taken his phone and refused to return it, leading to a confrontation. He said Boonruang allegedly threatened him with a cutter knife, which he managed to seize before fatally stabbing the man in the neck. He then covered the body with a blanket and set it on fire in an attempt to conceal the crime.

After fleeing that scene, Panae travelled around the city before encountering the second victim later that night. Krittapol said the two men argued over sleeping space beneath the bridge, a scarce and contested resource among homeless populations. The argument escalated into a violent assault, with Panae reportedly beating and stomping on Joe until he died. He then covered the victim’s face with a blanket and fled, leaving the body for morning commuters to find.

Further investigation revealed the suspect had committed a similar crime in Chiang Rai on January 7, also involving a homeless victim. He later fled to Chiang Mai, where he continued living among homeless communities under bridges and in abandoned buildings, seemingly undetected until the back‑to‑back discoveries of bodies in a single week triggered the manhunt.
The suspect has been charged with premeditated murder and concealing a body to hide the cause of death. He remains in police custody pending further legal proceedings.

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The case has sent shockwaves through Chiang Mai’s homeless communities, where vulnerable individuals already struggle with limited access to shelter, healthcare and social services. For those who live under the bridges where the killings occurred, the news that one of their own is accused of killing three others has shattered any remaining sense of safety. Police have increased patrols in the area, but for a population that sleeps in the open, protection remains elusive. The suspect’s confession answers some questions, but for the families of the three victims, the horror of how their loved ones died will long outlast the investigation.

-Thailand News (TN)