MODEL TRAGEDY
Model, 31, found dead after going missing for a YEAR in Bahrain as cops identify body by distinctive leg tattoo
The model's family claim her corpse was covered in bruises when she died
A THAI model's body has been discovered in a morgue after she went missing for over a year in Bahrain.
The body of Kaikan Kaennakam, 31, was sat unidentified for months until cops managed to solve the mystery through a distinctive tattoo on her leg.
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Kaikan moved to Bahrain to work in a restaurant after her modelling career dried up and she needed to financially support her family back home.
She would regularly post images and videos online of her new life and share her experiences with her family and friends.
Until she mysteriously stopped posting anything in April 2023, causing a huge panic in Thailand over what had happened.
Kaikan's family spent months trying to find her and even bought in the Thai Embassy to help locate her.
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They reached out to everyone they could think of who lived in Bahrain and managed to contact the Thai community living in the Middle East to help the hunt.
The Thai Embassy in Bahrain informed Kaikan's family on April 18 that they had found a woman's body in the Salmaniya Medical Complex morgue.
It had been sitting unidentified since last year after cops couldn't identify the body.
It was only linked back to Kaikan after police discovered a tattoo on her leg.
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Her death was caused by "acute lung and heart failure due to alcohol poisoning", said the autopsy report.
Kaikan's body is still in Bahrain as her family try to bring it home.
Her family have posted tributes online after finding out about her tragic death.
Sister Suthida Ngernthaworn spoke about her siblings death saying: "My sister started working in Bahrain around two or three years ago and found an Arab boyfriend there.
"However, we have not been able to contact her since April last year.
"Our family contacted the Thai Embassy in Bahrain and learned on April 18 this month that she had passed away."
Suthida has her suspicions over Kaikan's death however, as she claims photos of her body show signs of bruising.
She also says Kaikan would send them photos and videos before her disappearance of her body covered in marks and cuts.
Suthida continued: "The embassy in Bahrain documented the cause of death as alcohol intoxication, but her body photos contained bruises.
"We could not bring her body back because repatriation is expensive.
"My mum also wants the case to be reopened, and for an autopsy to be conducted again."
Paveena Hongsakul, founder of a women and children's charity in Thailand, has been helping the family get answers.
Paveena has arranged for the Police General Hospital to re-examine Kaikan's body and reassess her cause of death.
Speaking in a press conference, Paveena added: "Thai women should assess carefully if they want to work abroad.
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"There are risks of being tricked into prostitution, human trafficking, or drug rings."
Kaikan was not said to be involved in any unusual business in Bahrain.
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