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Norwegian Stein Havard Dokset, 50, no longer denies killing his former girlfriend

Phuket Body in Bin: Human, Say Forensic Police as Expat Confesses to Killing

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
UPDATE

PHUKET: Stein Havard Dokset confessed this evening to killing his Thai girlfriend by pushing her down the stairs after an argument - and to placing her body in a bin. What's not clear is the question of how her body mostly disappeared in the bin over the course of the past two-and-a-half years. Accidental death, or murder? More questions are being asked.

Original Report

PHUKET: Forensic police have confirmed that the remains found in a council wheelie bin at the luxury home of a Scandinavian expat on Phuket are human.

Tests were carried out in a police laboratory today after the green bin and its grisly contents were found in the basement of the seven-bedroom 15 million baht Phuket mansion belonging to Stein Havard Dokset, 50, a Norwegian.

Thirty police raided the mansion in Kata, a Phuket beachside destination, and throughly searched the property overnight. Today they carted off the wheelie bin and other items.

Mr Dokset was being held at Chalong Police Station in southern Phuket while the tests were undertaken at laboratories in the province of Surat Thani.

This afternoon the results came back as positively human remains.

Mr Dokset has denied knowing anything about the contents of the bin or having any connection with the possible murder of his former partner, Rungnapa Ratchasombut, who disappeared in 2009 at the age of 30.

Her family urged police from the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok to carry out last night's raid and extensive search.

When police opened the wheelie bin in the basement of the Phuket mansion, a strong stench filled the room.

At the bottom of the bin, inside what remained of a plastic bag, there appeared to be between two and four kilos of waste matter. The outline of a bone joint appeared to be visible.

Mr Dokset is being held without bail on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm, a handgun that was registered in the name of his missing former partner.

Khun Rungnapa, mother of two and formerly married to a policeman, was officially reported missing on July 19, 2009.

Her family have persevered and were the ones who pushed police to make last night's raid. Police now say it will take seven days for scientists to sample DNA from the waste material and match it with the family.

Mr Dokset's present Thai partner accompanied him to the police station. She said they had been living together for six months and she knew nothing about his former partner.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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Well what can you say????

Posted by phuket madness on February 29, 2012 16:32

Editor Comment:

Perhaps he will be fined for taking the council bin.

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Does anyone (Ed ?) really believe a murderer store the victims body remainings in his own house in an easy visible counsil bin and likewise with her personal belongings ?
And for a long period of 3 years ? And if not stored for the full 3 years, why should he bring the remainings back into his house ?
And even with other people living in the house ...
Either he is very, very stupid .... or more likely, plain innocent ! And howcome a law firm in Bangkok are the one who call tell the police whats in the house ? Dont look for the easy conclusions here ! Looks like a "set up" to me ..... Get this guy a good lawyer !!!
And Phuketwan, why publish the guys name when there are indications he is innocent ? You already ruined this guys name. His name is all over the web.

Posted by ex-police officer on February 29, 2012 18:13

Editor Comment:

You don't seem to have been a shining example to police anywhere, especially if guesswork was how you thought justice could be administered.

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Wow, this gives a whole new meaning to 'check bin'.

Posted by Relox on February 29, 2012 18:13

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This guy Stein built many of the houses in that area of Kata including a very large one just 5 or 6 houses up the Soi. We took over construction in Nov 08 after he got fired by the owner and finished up in Jul 09. Stein was different, didn't seem to know much about construction and he did not have a work permit, which I questioned him about and he said he did not need one (meaning he was above the Thais and didn't need their permission to work). He also said the Norwegian Embassy would protect him if he had trouble with the police to me. He had a Thai girlfriend at the time that I only seen one time and she tried to intimidate my workers to stop working because we took over from her and Stein. Evidently the construction company was in her name. Do not remember her face and therefore if she is the missing lady now. I would hardly use the word - Mansion - to describe his house - far from it!

Posted by bek on February 29, 2012 19:12

Editor Comment:

Any place with seven bedrooms, eight toilets and a swimming pool is a mansion.

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Unbelievable - firstly because I met this guy a few times and we may have even discussed the last body in a suitcase case where the perpetrator also claimed a 'horrible accident' had taken place. Secondly - the guy has confessed and still we get paranoid idiots rushing to the 'it's all a set up to frame the innocent farang' farce. And yes I agree fining him for taking the council bin would send the strongest message of deterrence to other would be 'horrible accident' perpetrators - the local authorities will not tolerate a bin missing in excess of three years. You have been warned... Now tell us where you have the wheelie bin.

Posted by Out of Sight Out of Your Mind on February 29, 2012 20:17

Editor Comment:

A confession to an accidental killing and a murder means a difference of, roughly, 15 years. He's had a long time to come clean. To keep a body in a bin is an indication that there isn't a lot of remorse in this case. I'd let him always walk down the stairs first.

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Actually that last part is a poor play on words- tell us where you have wheelie bin (tell us where you have really been...)

Posted by OOSOOYM on February 29, 2012 20:24

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It now seems that one of Thai Visa's former moderators, now an esteemed honorary member, is this same person in question. Stein Havard Dokset ( AKA ) Katabeachbum.

It also explains the mystery of the 9mm Glock that he mentioned unashamedly in several of his posts.

It is also of note he was a Highway Police volunteer as well.

RIP Rungnapa, I'm sure you didn't deserve the end result.

Posted by Just Curious on February 29, 2012 22:05


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