Woman sentenced to death for poisoning 14 friends with cyanide

Thailand (The Uttam Hindu): A Thai woman, believed to be one of the country's most notorious serial killers, has been sentenced to death for poisoning a friend with cyanide. This marks the first of 14 murder trials involving Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, 36, whose alleged crimes have shocked the nation. Sararat, who is reportedly addicted to online gambling, is accused of deceiving her victims out of large sums of money before killing them with cyanide. Thai media reports suggest that she borrowed significant amounts from her victims and then murdered them to fund her gambling addiction.

On Wednesday, a court in Bangkok convicted Sararat for the murder of her friend, Siriporn Khanwong. The two women had met in April 2022 near Bangkok to take part in a Buddhist ritual, where they released fish into the Mae Klong River. Shortly after, Siriporn collapsed and died. An autopsy revealed cyanide traces in her body. Authorities have linked Sararat to a series of cyanide poisonings dating back to 2015. After the verdict, Siriporn’s mother, Tongpin Kiatchanasiri, expressed her relief, stating, "Justice has been done for my daughter today."

Sararat allegedly borrowed up to 300,000 baht from her victims, stealing their jewelry and mobile phones after killing them. She reportedly lured 15 people, only one of whom survived, into consuming poisoned "herb capsules." Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn explained Sararat’s motivations, revealing that she killed those who demanded repayment of money she owed due to significant credit card debt. In total, she faces charges for 13 more murders and has been linked to nearly 80 offenses. Sararat’s ex-husband, a police lieutenant-colonel, received a 16-month sentence, while her former lawyer was sentenced to two years for his role in Siriporn's death. Sararat's crimes stand out due to their scale and brutality, marking one of Thailand's most shocking poisoning cases in recent history.