Former cop from UAE allegedly set cars on fire in Koh Samui

A former cop from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) allegedly set cars on fire in Koh Samui. The suspect, 40 year old Muajib Ali Salim Saleh Alkarbi, allegedly set fire to a BMW, and a Toyota sedan parked near vacant land in Koh Samui’s Taling Ngam sub-district at around 1.35am on Thursday, March 2.

Koh Samui Police said CCTV footage appeared to show Alkarbi riding on a motorcycle and setting fire to the cars. Koh Samui Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Alkarbi on Friday, March 3. Koh Samui Police said on Saturday that they had arrested Alkarbi.

The police said the cars that Alkarbi set on fire had belonged to a man only identified as Anan. They said that Alkarbi and Anan had been working together in a second-hand car business before having a conflict with each other.

The police said that Alkarbi bought a motorcycle and travelled to Koh Pha Ngan before he committed the attack, Naewna reported. Alkarbi then pretended to stay in Koh Pha Ngan by booking a hotel there, the police said. However, Alkarbi then travelled to Koh Samui to commit the attack.

Alkarbi faces charges of committing arson and has reportedly denied the charges. He is reportedly looking to fight the charges legally.

This news comes just a week after another arson attack in Thailand.

On Monday, February 27, a blaze broke out on a lesser-known Pattaya beach mostly used by fishermen to store their equipment and sell their catches. The blaze burned some of the fishermen’s equipment and tools. Luckily, no one was injured.

A fisherman at the beach said that the fire was definitely an act of arson because two unidentified people were seen walking in the area before the incident. The next day, February 28, police arrested a homeless Cambodian national who they suspected of starting the fire.