Pregnant Thai Serial Killer Suspect ‘Motivated by $2.3M Gambling Habit’

A Bangkok, Thailand woman accused of murdering at least 14 people with cyanide had a prodigious gambling habit, police said Friday.

Investigators believe this could explain why Sararat “Aem” Rangsiwuthaporn, 32, was allegedly so hungry for cash that she was prepared to kill friends and acquaintances to get her hands on it.

When Siriporn suddenly collapsed and died at the riverbank, Sararat left the scene rather than join bystanders in trying to help her friend.

Police found that cash, two phones, and a designer bag belonging to Siripon were missing, and an autopsy found traces of cyanide in her body. A bottle of cyanide was found during a search of Sararat’s home.

Married to Senior Policeman

Soon, more witnesses came forward to say their relatives had died suspiciously shortly after meeting with Sararat. One woman who had loaned her money said she became ill after taking “cough medicine” supplied by Sararat when the pair were shopping.

Sararat is also suspected of killing an ex-boyfriend, Suthisak Poonkwan, and three female police officers.

The case of a pregnant woman suspected of being one of the country’s most prolific serial killers has gripped Thailand.

$2.3M Gambled

On Friday, at a press conference in Bangkok, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief, revealed the extent of Sararat’s gambling activities. Surachate said that she regularly engaged with online gambling sites, which are illegal in Thailand.

Since 2020, Sararat plowed 78 million Bhat (US$2.3 million) into the sites, gambling as much as 10 million Bhat (US$290,000) per day.

Police believe the killings began in 2020 and span several provinces, but most occurred in west Bangkok. Known victims were wealthy and aged between 22 and 45. They were targeted, befriended, and then murdered by Sararat, who would slip cyanide pills into their food and drink, or offer the pills as herbal medicine, investigators claim.