‘Uncle Pol’ gets 26 years after appeals court increases sentence for murder of niece
Appeals Court jails ‘Uncle Pol’ for 26 years for murdering niece, overturning earlier accidental death ruling.
The Appeals Court on Wednesday sentenced Chaiyapol Wipha, widely known as “Uncle Pol”, to 26 years in prison after finding him guilty of intentionally murdering his three-year-old niece-in-law, overturning the lower court’s ruling that the killing was accidental.
From accidental death to intentional murder
The Mukdahan Provincial Court read the Appeals Court’s verdict in the case involving the abduction and murder of Orawan “Chompoo” Wongsricha in Ban Kokkok village, Don Luang district, Mukdahan, in May 2020.
On December 20 2023, the provincial court sentenced Chaiyapol to 20 years in prison — 10 years for causing death by accident and 10 years for abducting a minor under the age of 15. It acquitted him of tampering with the body to obstruct an autopsy.
The Appeals Court revised the conviction to intentional murder, abduction of a minor, and tampering with a body, raising the prison term to 26 years.
The court upheld the acquittal of Chaiyapol’s wife, Somporn Larbpho, the victim’s maternal aunt, on charges of tampering with the body.
The disappearance of Nong Chompoo
Three-year-old Chompoo disappeared from her home on May 11 2020. Her naked body was found three days later in Phu Pha Yon National Park, about 1.5 kilometres from her home.
The high-profile case transformed the small, remote Ban Kokkok into a media hotspot. The provincial court began hearing testimonies on June 20 2022, after a nearly two-year police investigation hampered by a lack of solid evidence and witnesses.
Public sympathy and celebrity status
The case captivated Thailand, at times drawing more viewers than prime-time soap operas. Media portrayals stirred public sympathy for Chaiyapol, even after the victim’s parents voiced suspicions about his involvement, noting that the family dog had not barked and the child had not cried during the abduction.
The soft-spoken uncle gained nationwide support, frequently professing his love for Chompoo and denying any harm. Donations and public backing transformed his dilapidated house into a mansion, and he briefly became a celebrity, securing modelling, singing, and acting roles.
However, as his fame grew, some key supporters distanced themselves after spotting irregularities in his statements and behaviour.
