Janjira Kerdlaew, 50, reportedly left home on Friday morning but did not arrive at the hospital where she works.

“Her husband lodged a complaint with us on Sunday, saying his wife had gone missing,” Pol Lt-Captain Yuenyong Pailom, an investigator at Doi Lor Police Station said yesterday.

He said Thanaporn Pareesen, 43, could not contact his wife and decided to check at the hospital, where he was told she had not reported for work on Friday.

Later, police noticed smoke coming from the longan plantation. They found that a fire had been lit, apparently to burn a body and destroy evidence.

“We gathered some pieces of evidence and submitted them for DNA tests. We should have the results in a day or two. After that, we will try to nail the culprits,” Yuenyong said.