Am Cyanide case

Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn
Born (1987-03-12) March 12, 1987[1]
ConvictionMurder (2 counts)
Criminal penalty
Death
Details
Victims2 convicted, 14 total suspected
Span of crimes
2015 (suspected) – 2023
CountryThailand

The Am Cyanide case covers fourteen suspected serial murders by cyanide poisoning in Thailand from 2015 and 2023. It is so-called by the media after the nickname of the accused, Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn (Thai: สรารัตน์ รังสิวุฒาภรณ์), and her modus operandi.[2]

Investigation

The poisonings began in 2015, but the case gained public attention in April 2023 following the death of Siriporn Khanwong, a friend of Sararat's. Sararat and Siriporn had gone to a river in Ratchaburi province to take part in a Buddhist protection ritual together, after which Siriporn fainted and died on the riverbank.[3] Following this, Sararat was arrested on 20 April and was denied bail.[4] In the aftermath, families of previous victims, almost all of whom had personal connections to Sararat but whose deaths had been ruled to be of natural causes, came forward with their suspicions.

The investigation linked Sararat to fourteen suspected murders and one non-fatal poisoning.[5][2] Police said the victims were friends and acquaintances from whom she had borrowed or stolen money, or whose possessions she intended to take. She was alleged to have used cyanide to poison her victims between 2015 and 2023, and investigators stated that she appeared to be motivated by an online gambling addiction.[2][6][7] Authorities estimated that she had obtained more than THB 5,000,000 (€130,000) from the victims before poisoning them.[5]

Victims

Suspected murder victims[8]
Name AgeDeathLocation Verdict
Siriporn "Koy" Khanwong 32 14 April 2023 Ratchaburi death[9]
Policewoman Major Nipa "Inspector Poo" Saenchan 1 April 2023Nakhon Pathom death[10]
Sutthisak "Dae" Phoonkhwan (ex-boyfriend) 35
Rosjarin "Jae Noi Phak" Nilhoi 10 August 2022Samut Sakhon
Surat Toraphap 2021Kanchanaburi
Kanika Tuaecharat 2021Ratchaburi
Chantharat Wongkraisin
Policewoman Captain Kanda Torai
Maneerat "Khu Tai" (Teacher Tai) Pojanat
Nittaya Kaewbuppa
Pusadee "Khru Ood" Samboonmee
Sutthisak "Dae" Phoonkhwan
Darinee "Fa" Thepthawee December 2020Nakhon Pathom
Sawittree "Nim" Budsrirak 412020Mukdahan
Monthathip "Sai" Khao-in 37 2016 Thong Lor area of Bangkok
Kantima Paesa-ard attempted murder Kanchanaburi

Trials

The police forwarded over 80 charges against Sararat to the public prosecutor on 30 June.[5] They included premeditated murder, attempted murder, theft causing death, and forgery.[8] The case was instituted on 18 July 2023, and Sararat's ex-husband, Police Lieutenant Colonel Withoon Rangsiwuthaporn,[2] and her lawyer Thanicha Aeksuwannawat were also accused of helping Sararat conceal evidence.[2][11][12] The trial's first taking-of-evidence session took place on 4 July 2024.[13]

In November 2024, Sararat was found guilty of murdering Siriporn Khanwong in the first of 14 trials, and sentenced to death. Meanwhile, her husband was sentenced to 16 months in prison for hiding evidence and helping Sararat evade arrest.[9][14][15][16]

In February 2026, Sararat received a second death sentence for the April 2023 murder of Police Major Nipa Saenchan.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Guinto, Joel; Jirenuwat, Ryn (20 November 2024). "Death penalty for Thai woman accused of murdering 14 friends with cyanide". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Day, Lauren; Vimonsuknopparat, Supattra (29 September 2023). "Thailand's worst suspected serial killer 'Am Cyanide' is accused of luring her victims to a meal and poisoning them". ABC News. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  3. ↑ Cai, Derek (27 April 2023). "Thai woman accused of murdering 12 friends in cyanide poisonings". BBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Thai Court Denies Bail to Alleged Serial Killer Who Poisoned 13 People with Cyanide". The Laotian Times. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Thailand: Woman charged with killing 14 using cyanide". dw.com. Deutsche Welle (DW). Retrieved 30 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Police close Thailand's historic case of serial killer 'Am Cyanide'". Khaosod English. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "'Am Cyanide': The story of Thailand's female serial-murder suspect". Thai PBS World. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Police wrap up 'Aem Cyanide' case". Bangkok Post. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Thailand's worst suspected serial killer 'Am Cyanide' given death penalty over cyanide killing". ABC News. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  10. 1 2 Parpart, Eric (20 February 2026). "Suspected Thai Serial Killer Gets Second Death Sentence as Cyanide Murder Trials Continue". Thai Enquirer. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  11. ↑ "อัยการสั่งฟ้อง "แอม-สามี-ทนายพัช" คดี "ก้อย ศิริพร" เสียชีวิต" (in Thai). Thai PBS News. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "All 15 reported victims of 'Aem Cyanide' poisoned". Bangkok Post. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  13. ↑ ""ทนายเดชา" มั่นใจ พยานหลักฐานคดี "ไซยาไนด์" เอาผิดจำเลยได้" (in Thai). Thai PBS News. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Thai woman sentenced to death for cyanide poisoning in first of 14 murder trials". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2024.
  15. ↑ "Thai woman sentenced to death for cyanide poisoning in first of 14 murder trials". The Star. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  16. ↑ "Thai 'serial killer' gets death sentence for cyanide poisoning her friend". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
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