Thai newspapers report that Ma Yee, a Burmese house maid who fled after murdering a 72 year- old Thai grandma, has been arrested.

Ma Yee, 23, was arrested with the help of a witness who gave information about where she was hidden. She was hiding at No-122, Chaungkeh section, Mu-(1), Tar Saung village, Sai Yo Town, Kanchanaburi province and was found by police and immigration at 11 A.M., yesterday morning.

In her statement Ma Yee reported the following:  She worked at the late grandmother’s house for 11 months before leaving her job and going to Lahbuli Town (100 km from Bangkok) with her husband Maung Taung (28) to work at meatball factory. The couple worked together at the factory but eventually domestic conflicts developed and her husband left her, returning to Burma. Me Yee then returned to her former job and earned a 4,500 baht salary, working only about 4 days a week.

According to police General of police headquarters, the victim grandmother took 2 tabs of sleeping pills daily. While she was asleep, Ma Yee tied her hands and legs and killed her. Then she took a 1 karat gold necklace, a small golden Buddha statue, 2 jewel rings, a pair of jewel earrings, a golden bracelet and 10,450 baht of cash. The total value of all the stolen belongings was about one hundred thousand baht.

It seems improbable that Ma Yee committed the crime alone. So initially, police suspected Ma Yee’s husband. However after inquiring with Immigration, they confirmed that he had already returned to Burma. The news was published yesterday in the Daily News and Kao Sok newspaper.