Thai actress Nida Patcharaveerapong, 37, was found dead in the river on February 26. Her body was found floating in the Chao Phraya River on Saturday afternoon. The actress, known among her fans as Tangmo, reportedly fell off a speed boat on Thursday night. She was on a trip across the river on a pleasure cruise when she fell off, reported The Bangkok Post.
After the investigation, the Nonthaburi provincial court has issued arrest warrants against the owner of the speedboat and the driver for death by negligence and using a speedboat with an expired license. The suspects reported to the Muang district police station on Saturday night with their lawyers, said Pol Lt-Col UthenHongthong. He also said the suspects have acknowledged the charges. They have even applied for the bail.
The actress fell off from the speedboat at around 10.40 pm ICT. She was at the rear side of the boat to relieve herself because the toilet was not functioning. Patcharaveerapong's manager, Wisapat Sand Manomairat, witnessed the incident and immediately shouted for help.
The report also stated that the actress was not wearing a life jacket during the trip from Thon Buri Bridge towards Nonthaburi province.
The actress's body was found a kilometer away from where she fell off. The body was located near the Rama VII Bridge in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok. A search was on in the river following her disappearance on February 24. The body was discovered by her brother. He thanked everybody in the rescue team.
The Initial Investigation
An investigation about the incident is still being conducted by the local police. Initial reports stated that the speedboat's driver did not have a valid license. Patcharaveerapong traveled with five people, including her manager. All of them were questioned by the local police.
The owner of the speedboat, Tanupat Lerttaweewit, and a person nicknamed Bert, who was at the helm when the actress fell off, may face charges. The charges could be for death caused by negligence and the use of a speedboat with no valid license, Pol Maj-Gen Paisarn Wongwatcharamongkol, superintendent of Nonthaburi police, said.
Meanwhile, the actress's mother, Panida Sirayutthayothin, suggested that an accident might not have been the real cause of her daughter's death.
"Someone might not have been pleased Tangmo was there", Sirayutthayothin said.
The actress made her last Instagram update on Thursday with several pics of her enjoying the sunrise. "The sun (is) set to rise again", she captioned her social media post. The post is flooded with condolences and prayers.
Who was Nida Patcharaveerapong?
Patcharaveerapong began her journey with the entertainment industry 20 years back as a model. She was part of the film, Ghost of Mae Nak. Her last project was a mini-series, titled The Fallen Leaf. The actress tied knots with actor Pakin Kumwilaisuk in 2013. The couple called it quits two years later.
The actress was admitted to Kasemrad Prachachuen hospital after going through depression and a heart attack in July 2015. Later, the actress addressed the media and admitted that she tried to commit suicide due to the difficult relationship with her ex-husband.
