British Man Held in Thailand Linked to Wife’s Death in UK

A 62-year-old British man, David Stuart Armitage, was taken into custody in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand, under suspicion of involvement in the unresolved death of his Thai wife, Lamduan Seekanya, nearly two decades ago in England. He is currently detained at the Immigration Bureau detention center in Bangkok, pending extradition proceedings after his residence visa was revoked.

Armitage married Lamduan in Thailand in 1991 before relocating to the United Kingdom. In 2004, Lamduan’s body was discovered in a stream near Sell Gill Holes, a popular potholing area in Yorkshire, by a group of mountain climbers. She was partially clothed, wearing jeans and socks, and forensic examinations estimated her death occurred up to three weeks prior.

Despite extensive efforts, including facial reconstruction and outreach to Asian embassies, authorities initially failed to identify the body, dubbed the “Lady of the Hills.” The case remained cold until 2019, when a Thai family came forward, suspecting the victim was their missing daughter, Lamduan, who had lost contact with them in 2004. DNA testing confirmed her identity later that year.

Armitage, interviewed by The Sun in 2020, denied any involvement in Lamduan’s death. He explained that they had met in Chiang Mai in 1990 while he was an English teacher. The couple later moved to Portsmouth, England, where Lamduan worked in a restaurant, and Armitage taught at a college. According to Armitage, the couple faced financial difficulties, and Lamduan expressed a desire to return to Thailand but feared losing custody of her children.

Lamduan’s death remains shrouded in mystery, with no conclusive evidence of drowning or assault, and police previously cited hypothermia and paradoxical undressing syndrome as possible factors. Investigations continue as Thai authorities work with British counterparts to unravel the decades-old case.