“Am Cyanide” sentenced to death by Criminal Court

Thailand’s worst serial killer, Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, commonly known as “Am Cyanide”, who murdered about a dozen friends and acquaintances using cyanide, was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court today.

The court found her guilty of pre-mediated murder, robbery and food adulteration in the death by cyanide poisoning of Siriporn Khanwong on April 14 last year.

According to the prosecutor’s charge sheet, Siriporn ate food and drank water laced with cyanide, as she and Sararat were visiting a pier in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi to release fish into the river in a merit-making ritual.

Siriporn collapsed and eventually died, but Sararat made no attempt to help her and stole her personal belongings, worth about 150,000 baht. An autopsy found traces of cyanide in her body.

Siriporn’s death opened a flood gate of complaints by relatives of victims of mysterious deaths, who had close connections with Sararat, leading to an extensive investigation by the police.

The court also sentenced Sararat’s ex-husband, Pol Lt-Col Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn, and her lawyer, Thannicha Aeksuwanwat, to two years in prison, which was reduced to one year and four months in return for the useful testimony they gave during the trial.

The three defendants were ordered to pay the victim’s family a combined 2.4 million baht in compensation.

This is the first in a series of about 15 cases of murder and attempted murder against Sararat before the court. Some victims did survive the cyanide poisoning.