Police are hunting a Lithuanian tourist wanted over the murder of his Thai transgender partner.

Officers began searching for Marius Kunickas, 31, after the body of Thiraphong Lamluea, 31, was discovered on June 15 in Surin, northeast Thailand.

Neighbours said that Marius, who worked in Norway, and Thiraphong had arrived in the village last month. They believed that Thiraphong had left with her boyfriend as neither had been seen since the end of May.

However, they were shocked when they smelled a decomposing body and found the transgender girl wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a store room at the back of the family property.

Police forensic teams arrived at the scene and coordinated with officers, who suspect that Thiraphong had been murdered around three weeks ago.

Police Captain Senee Chim-ngam said: "We are tracing the Lithuanian boyfriend of the victim. We believe he murdered his partner and then ran away.

"From the initial investigation, we believe that Thiraphong was killed in the bedroom around May 22. Later, his body was wrapped using a blanket before the offender hid it in the store room behind the house and left."

Police said that Marius and Thiraphong had met around six or seven months ago in the red-light district on the island of Phuket.

The couple had visited Thiraphong's home town twice. The first time they stayed in a hotel but on the most recent trip, they stayed in the family home.

Neighbour and family friend Noi said: "Thiraphong had been seeing his boyfriend, who works in Norway, for a few months. He had visited her in Surin twice.

"The first time was in January but they both met at the hotel. The second time was in May. He brought his boyfriend into the house."

Thiraphong's shocked mother Wandee Lamluea, 47, said she found her son's body behind the house.

She added: "I thought they had gone away with their boyfriend. I did not suspect anything was wrong until I smelled something strong and went to look.

"I cannot understand what has happened or why my son died. They both seemed so happy when they were here together."

Police said that an arrest warrant had been issued at the region's court for Marius to be arrested and questioned over the suspected murder.

Police Captain Senee Chim-ngam added: "There is no doubt that the victim was murdered. The main suspect is the victim's foreign boyfriend so we must go through the legal process and interview him."

Police were today hunting a Lithuanian tourist wanted over the murder of his Thai transgender partner.

Officers began searching for Marius Kunickas, 31, after the body of Thiraphong Lamluea, 31, was discovered last night June 15 in Surin, northeast Thailand.

Neighbours said that Marius, who worked in Norway, and Thiraphong had arrived in the village last month. They believed that Thiraphong had left with her boyfriend as neither had been seen since the end of May.

However, they were shocked when they smelled a decomposing body and found the transgender girl wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a store room at the back of the family property.

Police forensic teams arrived at the scene and coordinated with officers, who suspect that Thiraphong had been murdered around three weeks ago.

Police Captain Senee Chim-ngam said: 'We are tracing the Lithuanian boyfriend of the victim. We believe he murdered his partner and then ran away.

'From the initial investigation, we believe that Thiraphong was killed in the bedroom around May 22. Later, his body was wrapped using a blanket before the offender hid it in the store room behind the house and left.'

Police said that Marius and Thiraphong, who was born a man but in later life began dressing as a woman, had met around six or seven months ago in the red-light district on the island of Phuket.

The couple had visited Thiraphong's home town twice. The first time they stayed in a hotel but on the most recent trip, they stayed in the family home.

Neighbour and family friend Noi said: ‘Thiraphong had been seeing his boyfriend, who works in Norway, for a few months. He had visited her in Surin twice.

'The first time was in January but they both met at the hotel. The second time was in May. He brought his boyfriend into the house.'

Thiraphong's shocked mother Wandee Lamluea, 47, said she found her son's body behind the house.

She added: 'I thought he had gone away with his boyfriend. I did not suspect anything was wrong until I smelled something strong and went to look.

'I cannot understand what has happened or why my son died. They both seemed so happy when they were here together.'

Police said that an arrest warrant had been issued at the region's court for Marius to be arrested and questioned over the suspected murder.

Police Captain Senee Chim-ngam added: 'There is no doubt that the victim was murdered. The main suspect is the victim's foreign boyfriend so we must go through the legal process and interview him.'