Picture Credit: Netflix
Chompoo: Lost & Forgotten is the first true-crime documentary to come out of Netflix Thailand, covering the case of Nong Chompoo from 2020. The film covers the tragic death of the 3-year-old toddler, who disappeared from her home in Ban Kok Kork, and was found dead on a mountain in Phu Pha Yon National Park three days later. The perpetrator, Chaiphol ‘Uncle Phol’ Wipha, was interviewed throughout the documentary — speaking while he was on bail and still trying to maintain his media persona.
Six years ago in 2020, Thailand was shaken by the unthinkable murder of three-year-old Orawan “Nong Chompoo”. The nation was gripped by the case, which sparked immense media coverage and took social media by storm, notably catching the attention of various Thai influencers at the time.
The three-year-old toddler was found dead in the Phu Phan Noi forest within the Phu Pha Yon National Park on May 14, 2020 after disappearing from her home in Ban Kok Kork on May 11. We’ve plotted the approximate key locations of the case down below:
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Phu Lek Fai Mountain (Approximate recovery location)
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In the wake of the crime, what followed was often referred to as a “media circus”. In the subsequent investigation, numerous suspects were named. The village did not have any form of CCTV; therefore, almost everyone was considered a suspect, and the police carried out their investigations through extensive questioning. According to a report from Nation Thailand, the police questioned over 900 people, and out of them, only 63 gave testimony that was related to the case. All of them, however, underwent DNA tests.
The key element that made this crime so unbelievable was the media frenzy it sparked. Chompoo’s uncle Chaiphol Wipha, better known as Uncle Phol, went from grieving family member to Thai celebrity within days. Thai news reporters were stationed in Ban Kok Kork for months on end, broadcasting his life as if it were a reality TV show. What’s more, Uncle Phol’s growing celebrity status put him on the radar of YouTubers, who projected his fame even further. He later became a viral sensation after releasing a song with famous Thai singer Jintara Poonlarp.
Uncle Phol would then become one of the prime suspects in the murder case. After Chompoo’s parents began suspecting him, he found himself supported by masses across social media. There was a viral campaign supporting his innocence, spearheaded by the tag #SaveUnclePol.
Who was sentenced?
Out of everyone, it was Chaiphol ‘Uncle Phol’ Wipha who became the biggest suspect. Uncle Phol was incredibly close to Chompoo; the entire village was tight-knit and the type where everyone knows one another. There were three key pieces of incriminating evidence that pointed directly to him as the perpetrator. Firstly, practical studies carried out revealed that Chompoo, on her own, simply could not have made her way to the part of Phu Lek Fai mountain where her body was eventually found. She could only have been carried there. Additionally, eyewitnesses mentioned that they saw Chaiphol near the foothills of the mountain around the time of Chompoo’s disappearance.
The most incriminating piece of evidence, however, came when forensic experts found Nong Chompoo’s hair inside Chaiphol’s pickup truck. Naturally, as her uncle, it was not too suspect that hairs would be found in his truck, but the smoking gun was microscopic cut marks that matched cuts found at the crime scene.
In December 2023, Phol was sentenced to 20 years for negligence causing death and child abduction. Later, in August 2025, the court overturned the negligence ruling and found him guilty of intentional murder. His charges include: child abduction, intentional murder, and abandoning a child causing death. His sentence was increased by 6 years, bringing it to 26 years total.
Before Chaiphol Wipha was convicted, the case saw several different people named as suspects. For instance, Chompoo’s maternal aunt (and Uncle Phol’s wife) was a suspected accomplice. She was charged alongside her husband, but the court ultimately found insufficient evidence against her and she was acquitted of all charges.
Where is ‘Uncle Phol’ today?
Chaiphol Wipha is currently in prison. He was initially granted bail in his first appeal, but was later denied a bail request following the murder conviction. His legal team is already exploring options for him to appeal again at the Thailand Supreme Court. Given that it is the highest judicial authority in Thailand, the Supreme Court’s ruling will be final.
Police have still not found a definitive motive as to why he was involved in the death of Chompoo.
Following closure after Chaiphol Wipha’s sentencing, Chompoo’s parents Sawittree and Anamai Wongsricha continue to live in their local community.
Chompoo: Lost & Forgotten is now streaming on Netflix.
