Police search for clues in actress' drowning

Pawana, 69, was a prominent actress in the 1960s and ’70s. The award-winning leading lady starred in dozens of films, including Hong Kong productions, earning her the title “the pearl of Asia”.
Her live-in boyfriend, Natthaphong Luangsirikul, 55, vowed yesterday to fight for the rights to her assets, which police say amount to Bt2 billion.
Pol Lt Gen Phirapong Damapong, the commissioner of the Forensic Crime Detection and Investigation Bureau, visited Pawana’s house in Nakhon Pathom yesterday to inspect the scene with other senior officers from his bureau. He ordered the draining of the pond where her body was found in a further search for clues.
Phirapong said he suspected that Pawana might have fallen into the pond and that her head hit something, knocking her unconscious and causing her to drown.
He said forensic investigators have been at the scene since Monday but have not detected any evidence of foul play.
Autopsy results released yesterday confirm that Pawana drowned.
Pol Col Pornchai Suthirakul, deputy commander of the Police Forensic Medicine Institute, said the autopsy found water in Pawana’s lungs, indicating that she was still breathing when she entered the water.
Pornchai said there were no traces of physical attacks on her body.
There were “minor bruises” on Pawana’s face and body and a “shallow bruise” on her neck but none were severe enough to indicate that she had been struck, Pornchai said, adding that the bruising likely occurred when she fell into the pond.

BLOOD CLOTS
“We cannot tell whether it was murder or not. It’s duty of investigators to establish so. The condition of the body only told us that she was still breathing a little bit so water went into her lungs, causing them to swell,” Pornchai said.
“Her medical records showed that she was suffering from several ailments, including diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol,” he said. “Doctors also found blood clots in her heart veins.”
He said doctors also took tissue samples from the bruises to check whether there were traces of another person’s DNA. Results would be known in about two weeks, he added.
Doctors are also awaiting results of toxicology tests on the contents of her stomach.
Natthaphong yesterday insisted that he did not cause the death of Pawana and that he was not at home at the time she is thought to have fallen into the pond.
He said he returned home at 11pm on Sunday and was surprised to find several relatives and rescue workers in the house. He said the doors had been secured with locks and chains, preventing him from entering, and that the relatives had taken away a bag of Pawana’s that contained Bt200,000 in cash and some gold ornaments.
He added that Pawana’s sister had called him a “pimp”, so he became angry and took out his gun and fired it into the air to intimidate the relatives to leave.
After they left, Natthaphong said he found the body of Pawana in the pond at 3am on Monday.
He said he would file a complaint with police if the relatives do not return the bag of cash and gold.
He said although Pawana adopted a son of her sister, the son would not be a beneficiary of all her assets.
Natthaphong said he had also been working with Pawana to earn the assets and he would fight a legal battle with anyone who sought to deprive him.
Pawana’s relatives have stated they believe she died under “suspicious circumstances”, citing relationship troubles and the actress’ wealth as motives for a crime.