A TEAM of detectives from North Yorkshire Police are in Thailand as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Lamduan Armitage (nee Seekanya). 

The cold case detectives and family liaison officers will be meeting her parents and other family members. 

Lamduan’s body was found by walkers at Sell Gill near Pen-y-ghent, above Horton in Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales, on 20 September 2004.

Her identity remained unknown until early 2019. A BBC Online article about the case in the January of that year was brought to the attention of Lamduan’s parents in Udon Thani, north-east Thailand.

They came forward to the police believing the woman could be their daughter who they had not seen since 2004.

DNA testing was carried out which confirmed the woman to be Lamduan who would now be 55.

It was established that she was a married mother of three who was living in northern England at the time of her unexplained death.

This breakthrough was publicised by North Yorkshire Police on 19 March 2019 which resulted in extensive national and international coverage of the case.

However, there were delays for the investigation team to receive legal authority to go to Thailand.

They were further hampered by international travel restrictions due to the pandemic, meaning this part of the investigation has been put on hold for almost four years. 

Adam Harland, manager of the Cold Case Review Unit, said:  “Despite the difficulties we have faced to progress the investigation in recent years, we remain determined to seek answers for Lamduan’s family about the circumstances of her being found dead in a beautiful but remote part of the Yorkshire Dales in September 2004.

“It has been frustrating to have had to wait so long to be able to travel to Thailand. We are hoping to speak with all the members of her family, including her husband, to gather their evidence about her life and to offer what support we can with regards to their loss. 

“North Yorkshire Police is aware of the widespread interest in this investigation which strikes at the heart of issues surrounding violence against women and girls in the United Kingdom, in Thailand, and around the world."