An explosive relationship

CHIANG MAI: Sixty-year-old Katsuo Buno met and fell in love with 32-year-old Jitra Chuwong two years ago when Jitra went to work in Japan. Deciding that she was the love of his life, he quit his job, sold his belongings, cashed in his pension and moved to Chiang Mai so that he could be with his goddess. But Jitra, apparently dissatisfied with the love and riches he showered her with, and with the mansion he built as their love-nest, turned for comfort to Sumruay Thecha-eur who, it has to be said, was more her own age. This devastated Katsuo because, not only had his wife found comfort in the arms of a person of her own age, but that person was also of Jitra’s own gender. Sumruay was a woman. Arguments soon followed, a few of which had to be settled by visits from the police, resulting in Jitra agreeing to stop seeing Sumruay. Life was good again for Katsuo, but not for long. Jitra went back to Sumruay a few months ago. On November 7, Katsuo could no longer contain his rage and followed Jitra to Sumruay’s place on his bicycle. Seeing the couple together fueled his rage further. He pulled out a .38 handgun and shot Sumruay in the forehead, before shooting Jitra in the back of the neck as she was trying to run away. Katsuo then pedaled back home and vented his unspent anger by trashing his house. With his love gone, Katsuo decided to end it all. He dragged the cooking gas bottle from the kitchen into the living room, opened the valve and waited for the gas to fill the room. Then he pulled out his cigarette lighter. The explosion cracked the walls of the house and set it afire. The flames also engulfed Katsuo’s brand-new Nissan Cefiro. Not that he cared; he was already dead. Sumruay and Jitra were rushed to the hospital, where Sumruay was pronounced dead on arrival. Jitra is still in intensive care.