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Murder of Porlajee Rakchongcharoen

SOLVED2011Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen was a Karen environmental and community activist who worked with villagers in and around Kaeng Krachan National Park in western Thailand. In 2011, he joined legal efforts concerning the destruction of Karen homes and the eviction of families from Jai Paen Din. On 17 April 2014, park superintendent Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn and other park officers detained Billy at a checkpoint on suspicion of illegally collecting wild honey. Chaiwat later said Billy had been released the same day, but there was no official detention record and Billy was not seen again.

Billy’s wife, Pinnapha Phrueksapan, sought a court inquiry into the detention, but the Court of First Instance found the evidence insufficient. Police later pursued official-misconduct allegations connected to the detention, and the Department of Special Investigation reopened the disappearance inquiry in 2018.

Searches of the Kaeng Krachan Dam reservoir in 2019 recovered burned bone fragments. Investigators said DNA testing linked the fragments to Billy’s mother and concluded that he had been killed; Chaiwat disputed whether the evidence established that the remains were Billy’s.

In September 2023, Thailand’s Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases acquitted Chaiwat and three other park officials of kidnapping and murder-related charges, finding the forensic and circumstantial evidence insufficient. The court convicted Chaiwat of failing to report Billy’s detention and sentenced him to three years in prison. Billy’s family said it would appeal. No one has been convicted of causing Billy’s disappearance or presumed death.

Key facts

Victims
Porlajee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen
Date
2011
Location
Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2011-05

    Kaeng Krachan National Park officers forcibly evicted and burned about 100 Karen houses and rice barns in Pong Luk Bang Kloy village.

  2. 2011

    Billy filed a lawsuit against park superintendent Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn over the evictions and burnings.

  3. 2011-09-11

    A local activist who supported evicted Karen villagers was shot dead while driving; Chaiwat was charged with murder but later freed for lack of evidence.

  4. 2014-04-17

    Billy was arrested at a park checkpoint by park superintendent Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn and four officers for alleged illegal possession of wild honey; he was never seen alive again.

  5. 2015

    Royal Thai Police Region 7 filed malfeasance-in-office charges against Chaiwat and four other park officers over Billy's alleged unlawful detention.

  6. 2016-04-17

    Karen villagers filed a complaint at Kaeng Krachan District Police Station against Chaiwat and colleagues over Billy's disappearance.

  7. 2018-06

    The Supreme Administrative Court found Chaiwat guilty of malfeasance for the 2011 house burnings and ordered compensation to plaintiffs; the court also ruled evicted Karen villagers could not return to the park.

  8. 2018-06-28

    The Department of Special Investigation announced it would reopen the investigation into Billy's disappearance.

  9. 2018-07-26

    The International Commission of Jurists urged the DSI to expedite its investigation, criticizing its pace.

  10. 2019-04

    Searches began at Kaeng Krachan Dam reservoir that would eventually recover human bone fragments (search period April–August 2019).

  11. 2019-08

    Search period concluded; DNA testing of recovered bone fragments matched samples from Billy's mother, leading DSI to conclude he had been murdered.

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People

  • Porlajee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen

    VICTIM

    Karen environmental and community activist last seen alive on 17 April 2014; DNA testing of recovered bone fragments in 2019 led investigators to conclude he had been murdered.

  • Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn

    CONVICTED

    Former Kaeng Krachan National Park superintendent; charged with Billy's murder but cleared due to insufficient evidence, and separately sentenced to 3 years in prison for dereliction of duty for not reporting Billy's arrest; also found guilty of malfeasance by the Supreme Administrative Court over the 2011 house burnings.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand

12.8058, 99.5083

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Karen environmental activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen was last seen on 17 April 2014 after park officers detained him at a checkpoint in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand. Bone fragments that investigators said matched his mother’s DNA were recovered from a reservoir in 2019. In September 2023, a court acquitted four park officials of kidnapping and murder for insufficient evidence; it convicted former superintendent Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn of failing to report the detention, and the family said it would appeal.
Where did the murder happen?
Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand.
Who was convicted?
Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn (Former Kaeng Krachan National Park superintendent; charged with Billy's murder but cleared due to insufficient evidence, and separately sentenced to 3 years in prison for dereliction of duty for not reporting Billy's arrest; also found guilty of malfeasance by the Supreme Administrative Court over the 2011 house burnings.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
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Sources

  1. PRESSSenior Thai national park official, 3 others, acquitted in 9-year-old case of missing activistAssociated Press · 2026-07-11
  2. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Porlajee RakchongcharoenWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage of the Porlajee Rakchongcharoen caseBBC News · 2026-07-10