‘He survived the Boxing Day tsunami’: Family grieves for Australian resort owner killed on his birthday in Krabi

UPDATE

The Australian man who was tragically stabbed to death at the resort he owned in Krabi, southern Thailand, on his 57th birthday has been identified as Peter Heppell from Perth.

The fatal attack happened on Sunday at Heppell’s resort in Khao Thong district, Melina’s Monkey House and Whale Bar, which he named after his daughter Melina who was swept away from his arms during the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 when she was just six months old.

Karen, Heppell’s sister, told NewsAu…

“He survived motorbike accidents and miraculously the Boxing Day tsunami… Peter loved his daughter Aly, the ocean, beer, footy and Thailand… The family is so grateful that we were able to spend time with him recently. Now reunited with baby Melina. Our hearts are breaking.”

Heppell’s life was “taken suddenly and violently,” said his sister, adding that the family was “devastated.”

Friends and family are posting their condolences online for their tragic loss, describing Heppell as “larger than life.”

The Perth dad was a former player of North Beach Football Club, helping them to win the 1990 premiership. The club shared a tribute on social media, describing Heppell as a “character on and off the field.”

“I remember Peter as an electrifying wingman who always had a smile on his face or was laughing,” said one of Heppell’s football mates in the comments.

Thai police detained a 24 year old Thai man in Songkhla province, identified only as Phirachat, who confessed to murdering Heppell, police say. He was charged with murder at Ao Nang Police Station.

Ao Nang police say that the suspect won’t yet reveal the details of the crime but believe the stabbing arose from a pay dispute. Phirachat was allegedly displeased with the amount of money his wife was given when she was dismissed from her position at Heppell’s resort, reports Sanook.

ORIGINAL STORY: Australian resort owner stabbed to death in Krabi, Thailand

An Australian man was stabbed to death at his resort in Krabi province, southern Thailand, on Sunday. The Thai husband of one of the victim’s former employees has confessed to the crime, police say.

On Saturday evening, officers at Ao Nang Police Station were informed by staff at Krabi Hospital that a foreigner was stabbed to death at a resort in Khao Thong district, reports Sanook.

The victim, 57 year old Peter [surname withheld] of Australian nationality, was fatally stabbed in the beach bar area of his own resort. Peter was stabbed with a sharp knife in the right side of his ribs, puncturing through his lung. His right arm was also stabbed in several places.

Officers followed a path of blood spatters from the scene of the crime for about 50 metres to find a discarded, bloody foot-long knife, which they confiscated as evidence.

Police detained one suspect, 24 year old Phirachat [surnname withheld] at a house in the Khlong Hoi Kong district of Songkhla province and drove him back to Ao Nang Police Station in Krabi for interrogation.

Staff at the resort testified that the incident happened during their lunch break around midday and no staff members were around to see the fatal stabbing, but some customers witnessed the crime.

Police say that Phirachat came to the resort to discuss his wife’s severance pay after she was dismissed from her position, reports Sanook.

It is expected that Phirachat was not pleased with the amount of money his wife received after being let go, angering him so much that he stabbed Peter to death before fleeing the scene on a motorbike.

Customers helped Peter to get to Krabi Hospital where he later tragically passed away.

Police charged Phirachat with murder, which he confessed to at Ao Nang Police Station. However, the killer still refuses to tell the police the exact details of the crime. Police say Phirachat’s wife will be brought into the station for questioning.