12 suspects held in death of Koh Samui taxi driver deny mafia accusation
Police prosecuted 12 suspects in connection with the fatal assault and shooting of a taxi driver on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, with the final suspect surrendering to authorities on Monday, June 1.
The victim, 31 year old taxi driver Sikarin Promcharoen, was found dead in the driver’s seat of his vehicle on May 24. His car had crashed into the roadside near a hotel where he had reportedly dropped off a passenger. Sikarin suffered multiple injuries and gunshot wounds to the chest.
Dashcam footage and witness statements indicated that a group of more than 10 men allegedly assaulted Sikarin before one of them fatally shot him.
Initial reports suggested the suspects were linked to a taxi mafia group accused of controlling transport services in the area and preventing independent drivers from picking up passengers.
According to reports, Sikarin had driven a passenger to a hotel in the area shortly before the confrontation began.
Officers from Bor Phud Police Station launched an investigation and initially arrested one suspect, 42 year old Jatuporn, following widespread public attention surrounding the case. Jatuporn denied participating in the assault, claiming he had only witnessed the incident.
Information gathered during questioning and subsequent investigations led police to seek arrest warrants for 11 additional suspects. Authorities gradually arrested the remaining suspects, while several surrendered voluntarily. The final suspect turned himself in on Monday.
Police identified the gunman as Pakasit, who was arrested while hiding from the arrest at a friend’s home in Surat Thani province.
Pakasit admitted firing the fatal shot but claimed he had no personal dispute with Sikarin. He said the conflict involved his friend, Sin, who was arrested around the same time.
Sin told police he had previously argued with the victim over a parking area under his supervision. According to Sin, the victim had paid to park there but repeatedly parked improperly, leading to several disputes between the two men.
Pakasit claimed that he accompanied Sin to discuss the matter with Sikarin on the day of the incident. He claimed that Sikarin stabbed him during the confrontation, prompting him to fire his weapon in self-defence.
Sin denied physically attacking the victim and maintained that he was only involved in a verbal argument. Police have not publicly released statements from the other suspects.
Both Pakasit and Sin apologised to the public, particularly Koh Samui residents, for the damage the case had caused to the island’s reputation and tourism industry. The pair also denied allegations that they were members of a taxi mafia group.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
