Murder crimes in Thailand are relatively low compared to global standards, but there have been fluctuations in crime rates due to various social and economic factors.
According to some statistics, Thailand's homicide rate is approximately 4.1 per 100,000 people, a figure that is significantly lower than in countries like Brazil or South Africa but higher than in many European countries
Despite the relatively lower rate, notable cases have drawn considerable media attention, including serial killings and high-profile crimes that stir public concern.
And grand example, is Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn.
Also known as "Am Cyanide," the 38-year-old woman shocked the whole nation, and has become infamous both in Thailand and internationally for her chilling crimes using cyanide.
Cyanide is a highly toxic, and also a fast-acting poison.
Every single cell in the human body requires oxygen to live. Without oxygen, cells will quickly die.
When consumed, cyanide binds to hemoglobin in the blood and prevents cells from using oxygen. This leads to an inability for tissues and organs to get the oxygen they need, causing them to shut down.
Because of this, severe biological damage is certain.
Early symptoms include dizziness and confusion, which is a common symptom when the body is depraved of oxygen. Shortness of breath and nausea soon follow, and rapid heart rate can happen because the the heart desperately try to deliver oxygen to the dying body.
Severe complications soon follow, and the longer this commences, the lesser the chance for survival.
In Thailand, the use of cyanide is tightly controlled. Unauthorized possession or use of the poison can result in severe legal consequences, including up to two years in prison
And Rangsiwuthaporn didn't get her "Am Cyanide" alias out of nothing.
This is because Rangsiwuthaporn had killed 14 people using the substance.
Making things even disturbing, many of the murdered victims were actually her close acquaintances—people she had befriended, lent money to, or exploited in various ways.
Am’s motives seem rooted in a deep financial desperation, reportedly fueled by her gambling addiction.
Multiple sources reveal that Am had used her charm and manipulation to borrow significant amounts of money from her victims, often with promises of investment opportunities or loans.
However, a debt is a debt, and it needs to be repaid.
This is where Am resorted to murder to cover her tracks and eliminate those who could expose her fraudulent activities
Not only that, because Rangsiwuthaporn killed them to also squeeze more cash out of them, like by stealing their jewelry, and their smartphones.
To do what she did, she used potassium cyanide (KCN), and administer the substance to either the food or drinking water of her victims.
One of the victims, Siriporn Khanwong, was poisoned when she and Rangsiwuthaporn travelled together to release fish into the Mae Klong River in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi on April 14, 2023.
Khanwong fell unconscious near the river.
The court in its judgement said that Rangsiwuthaporn saw her friend collapsed, but did not appear surprised.
As if they had not been friends, Rangsiwuthaporn walked back to her car and left the scene with the victim’s bag, mobile phone and other valuables worth 154,630 baht.
She left Khanwong to die.
Rangsiwuthaporn acted alone, but she knew what she was doing.
To conceal the murders, Rangsiwuthaporn was able to manipulate their deaths, masking them as accidents or natural causes.
This allowed Am to carry out her crimes without raising immediate suspicion.
She was slippery, and that is attributed to her ex-husband, an ex-police officer at Suan Phueng police station in Ratchaburi, who helped her hide evidence to help her evade prosecution.
Things were smooth and were going as planned, until they don't.
After all, too much pride comes before a fall.
This is because she should've killed 15 people.
One of them apparently, survived.
It was only after this survivor started speaking out, investigators started their investigation.
Following a series of autopsies and the testimonies of the survivor, a woman who narrowly escaped death after being poisoned, authorities were able to piece together the extent of her criminal activities
This was when Am’s spree began to unravel.
In the end, Rangsiwuthaporn was convicted of using cyanide to poison multiple victims, with her case involving 14 suspected murders and one attempted murder spanning from 2015 to 2023.
To some, Rangsiwuthaporn is considered a sociopath, and built relationships with the victims over time, just to gain their trust, before making them financially vulnerable.
Rangsiwuthaporn is a skilled manipulator.
Her victims were often led to believe they could trust her, making the brutality of her actions even more shocking when it came to light.
Am’s arrest came in 2023 after investigators began connecting her to multiple deaths, thanks to the discovery of cyanide traces on her personal items.
The police investigation was swift, with her ex-husband, and other individuals in her inner circle coming under scrutiny.
Her eventual arrest was the result of persistent and thorough police work, marking the end of her reign of terror.
Am’s arrest sparked nationwide outrage.
Public reaction was a mixture of disbelief and horror at the nature of her crimes, as well as anger toward how she managed to evade suspicion for so long. Discussions around her case have reignited debates over the use of the death penalty in Thailand, especially since Am has been sentenced to death following her conviction.
But beyond the legal and moral questions, Am's case has also sparked widespread conversations about the vulnerabilities of people in financial distress and the psychological profile of serial killers. How did she manage to blend in so seamlessly with society? And how could a woman, once trusted by so many, commit such heinous acts?
Her cold, but calculated approach has made her a killer in her own league.
As of November 2024, Am’s trial continues to captivate both the Thai public and international audiences.
Her story serves as a chilling reminder of how greed, manipulation, and a seemingly ordinary life can mask the darkest of secrets.
While Am awaits her final fate in prison, the victims’ families are left to grapple with the deep scars of their losses, and Thailand itself remains shaken by the revelation of a woman who used poison as her weapon of choice.
The Am Cyanide case is a disturbing reminder of the complexities of human nature, the lengths some will go for money, and the hidden darkness lurking behind everyday faces.
The scale and brutality of Am's crimes is unmatched in Thailand. As a result of this, Am is not only considered one of Thailand's first female serial killers, but also one of the the most prolific.
Am’s case is one of the most disturbing in Thailand's criminal history.
On November 2024, Am has been sentenced to death.
The court on Wednesday also sentenced Sararat's ex-husband, Withoon Rangsiwuthaporn, and her lawyer Thanicha Aeksuwannawat, to two years in jail for helping her.
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