Body of wanted gunman who kills police found floating in river
Police officers discovered the lifeless body of a wanted gunman floating in the river along the Thai-Lao border yesterday. The now dead gunman fatally shot a policeman in the Isaan province of Loei.
Police Sub-Lieutenant Pairoj Prom-in was shot and killed by the drug suspect Boonkird on April 10, when he and his team attempted to arrest the suspect at a rubber plantation in Loei. Boonkird was known to be a leading drug dealer in the area and was previously imprisoned for drug offences and illegal possession of firearms.
Boonkird resisted arrest and fled the scene. During the pursuit, he turned around and fired randomly at the officers, striking Pairoj. He then successfully escaped with the assistance of his friends.
Yesterday, April 16, officers from the Investigation Division of Provincial Police Region 4 were patrolling along the Mae Hueang riverbank when they noticed a body floating in the rapids mid-river.
Police recovered the body and found that its features matched those of Boonkird. He was wearing the same clothing as the wanted suspect and carried a waist bag.
A search of the bag revealed Boonkird’s identification card, a 9mm firearm, a torch, and two gold accessories valued at over 530,000 baht.
It is believed that Boonkird had died several days before the discovery. The exact cause of death remains under investigation. An autopsy is expected to take approximately three days.
Boonkird’s father and other relatives confirmed his identity. His father stated that he accepted the consequences of his son’s actions, adding that he had rarely been in contact with Boonkird and had no involvement in his criminal activities.
The Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Kitrat Phanphet, attended Pairoj’s funeral at Si Sutthawat Temple in Loei yesterday. He expressed his condolences to the family and ensured that Pairoj’s family would receive a total of over 2.2 million baht in compensation for their tragic loss.
In honour of his sacrifice, Pairoj will be posthumously promoted from police sub-lieutenant to police lieutenant colonel.
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