Thai model's mysterious death in Bahrain sparks family's demand for probe
Kaikan Kaennakam
The lifeless body of a 31-year-old Thai model, Kaikan Kaennakam, was discovered in a morgue in Bahrain, more than a year after she vanished from her social media and stopped answering calls from her family, who lives in Thailand.
Kaikan's journey, which met with a sad ending, started off from the glitz of the modeling world. When opportunities stopped coming her way she decided to move to Bahrain and took up a job in a restaurant to support her family back in Thailand.
Even away from home, Kaikan remained closely connected to her loved ones and regularly updated them via social media. She even disclosed her relationship with her Bahraini boyfriend, with whom she had moved in.
However, concern arose when Kaikan suddenly vanished from online platforms in April 2023. Her family's frantic attempts to reach her proved futile. The family then sought aid from the Thai embassy in their quest to locate her.
Thai embassy in Bahrain on April 18, 2024, delivered the devastating news - an unidentified Southeast Asian woman's body discovered in a local morgue matched Kaikan's description.
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This was after a distinctive tattoo on her leg ultimately led to her identification. It was shocking news for the family especially considering the fact that she had been lying unidentified for over a year.
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The official cause of death cited acute lung and heart failure from alcohol poisoning. However, suspicions linger within Kaikan's family, fueled by alleged bruising visible in social media photographs of her body shared before her death.
Suthida Ngernthaworn, Kaikan’s sister, expressed her doubts and pointed out the evidence of bruising and cuts on Kaikan's body in social media posts.
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She said, "The embassy in Bahrain documented the cause of death as alcohol intoxication, but her body photos contained bruises.
"We could not bring her body back because repatriation is expensive... My mum also wants the case to be reopened, and for an autopsy to be conducted again." Efforts to repatriate Kaikan's remains face financial hurdles as the family lackstravel insurance.
Cause of the death under suspicion
Seeking justice, the family sought the support of Paveena Hongsakul, a philanthropist dedicated to women and children's welfare in Thailand.Paveena during a presser said, "Thai women should assess carefully if they want to work abroad." "There are risks of being tricked into prostitution, human trafficking, or drug rings." Paveena has coordinated with the Police General Hospital to conduct a fresh examination of Kaikan's body.
(With inputs from agencies)