PHUKET commuters were shocked today by the discovery of a naked woman's body in a piece of luggage by the roadside in central Phuket.

One Phuketwan reader called to say: ''It looked quite shocking. I was taking my children to school when we rode past the scene. I saw what appeared to be part of a torso protruding from a bag.''

A large pull-along piece of blue luggage contained the curled up body of a woman, aged about 30, police said after inspecting the contents. Earlier reports described the body as ''dismembered.''

Phuket City police cordoned off the scene and were awaiting a full examination by a forensic team.

The body was discovered behind the Honda service centre in Chao Fa Road West, alongside Chao Fa Tadmai, the road that leads to the rear of Prince of Songkla University.

Local people saw the grim scene first and called police.

Phuket City police said the woman had long, dark hair, and a ring on the second finger of her left hand. There was one stab wound in the neck and another in her breast.

Police believed the woman had been dead for at least three days. Facial identification was no longer possible.

The likelihood is that if she is a Thai, family or friends of the woman will quickly report her missing. While many Thais move from place to place around the country for work or other reasons, cases where people who would normal stay in touch fail to contact family or friends are usually reported to police, officers have told Phuketwan.

Investigating officer Lieutenant SomChai Nuboon, of Phuket City police, said the first step would be to circulate Phuket police stations with details of the case and a photograph of the woman's ring.

If there was no reaction, then the information would go out to police stations in Phang Nga, Krabi and surrounding provinces, widening the area of investigation.

Meanwhile, a thorough autopsy should reveal as much as possible about the woman's physique. Any tattoos will be carefully noted, along with the details of her teeth, in case she has a dental record.