BANGKOK - The body of a millionaire businesswoman has been found entombed in concrete in her own fridge.

Wannee Jiracharoenying, 58, disappeared from the city of Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, on October 18 after going to visit a nearby temple.

Her brother Woraphan Jiracharoenying, 59, had raised the alarm when she stopped responding to his messages.

Wannee’s neighbours then complained of a putrid smell coming from inside her house and police discovered her body stuffed inside her fridge.

Her hands and legs were bound and a plastic bag had also been put over her head, the Thai Examiner reports.

Officers are now investigating her suspected murder and have been searching for her friend, known only as Oom, who has since vanished.

The pair were reportedly seen together at Suan Dok Hospital, a provincial facility in Chiang Mai, where Wannee had previously donated 19 million baht.

Several large withdrawals have been made from Wannee’s account since her disappearance, and her car and bank cards are also missing.

Police Major General Bundit Tungkhaseranee said officers are now checking border points to see if Oom has fled abroad.

He said: ‘We contacted the bank where the deceased was a customer and we received the information that the money was being withdrawn by someone after the woman was dead.

‘On the day that the family lost her contact, the suspect withdrew money from the ATM. He withdrew totally 1.2 million baht (£30,967) already.

‘The latest information we received from the bank is that the suspect withdrew the money again but this time in Rayong, the CCTV from the ATM captured part of their face.

‘We think that the culprit committed the crime aiming for her money, maybe because he heard that she always donated a large amount of money to the temple and the hospital.’ (FA)