Wattana Itthisan, 27, was supposed to meet her husband Pinit at 9pm on Saturday. When she did not turn up by midnight, despite a search, he called police.
Relatives and staff of the Itthisan’s company continued to search in places they thought she was likely to have gone and eventually, around 1pm yesterday, found tyre marks leading across the grass between the road and the lagoon at the back of the temple.
In the water they saw what they thought might be Mrs Wattana’s blue Honda Jazz. They called police who, with the help of a crane, lifted the car out of the water.
Mrs Wattana was still inside, but in the back seat, apparently having drowned.
Also found in the car were personal items belonging to her, including her wallet, mobile phone and jewellery.
Police are treating her death as suspicious and are investigating further.