Thailand’s criminal court has issued a second death sentence to a woman accused of killing 14 people with cyanide and trying to kill another.
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, also known as “Am Cyanide,” is believed to be the most notorious serial killer in the country. Prosecutors claim she is a compulsive gambler who committed murders for financial reasons.
Investigations revealed that Sararat spent 78 million baht (US$2.3 million) over three years on the illegal online gambling platform Fun88, sometimes betting up to 10 million baht (US$290K) in a single day.
To fund her addiction, Sararat borrowed money from her victims before murdering them and taking their belongings, according to prosecutors.
Food Contaminated with Poison
She was initially condemned to death in September 2024 for the killing of her friend, Siriporn Kanwong. On Tuesday (August 25), she was handed a second death sentence for the murder of Darinee “Fah” Thepthawee, a friend and lender.
Sararat had borrowed 60,000 baht (US$1,850) from Darinee and convinced her to join three informal savings schemes that promised returns totaling around 200,000 baht (US$6,150), according to court documents.
In December 2020, Sararat enticed Darinee to a local market for a meal that prosecutors allege she had poisoned with potassium cyanide.
After returning home, Darinee complained to her husband about feeling unwell. She then experienced convulsions and muscle rigidity, foaming at the mouth before losing consciousness. She succumbed to multiple organ failure, as stated in court documents.
The recent ruling was the seventh judgment in 15 cases brought against Sararat, the wife of a senior police officer who socialized in affluent circles. She has now received two death sentences, two life sentences, and three acquittals.
Sararat’s Detainment
Sararat was apprehended in Bangkok on April 25, 2023, after the family of her last victim, Siriporn, became suspicious about her sudden death.
Siriporn, aged 32, collapsed and died on the banks of the Mae Klong River in Ratchaburi on April 14 after accompanying Sararat to release fish as part of a Buddhist ritual for making merit.
Subsequent forensic tests detected cyanide in Siriporn’s body, leading investigators to believe that Sararat poisoned her before stealing her possessions. Upon her arrest, she was found in possession of a bottle of cyanide, according to the police.
Authorities began investigating other individuals who had died suddenly after spending time with Sararat. It was uncovered that many had financial ties to her through loans, vehicle transactions, or informal savings plans, while relatives of other suspected victims started coming forward with reports of similar unexplained deaths.
Among her alleged victims are a former boyfriend and three female police officers.