Police claim they ‘had to kill’ north-east murder suspect

PHOTO: Police bring suspects to re-enact the motorcycle and body disposal in the two provinces – The Nation

by Khamdee Phrommakong, Suriya Patathayo, Teerapol Khumsuk

Police claim they “had to kill” a wanted murder suspect, 29 year old Somsak “Au” Ledlod, in Yasothon’s Kham Khuan Kaeo district as he stole a pickup truck to flee and may have hurt the truck driver. Yasathon is north of Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand’s north-east, near the Laos border.

The comments from Yasothon police chief Maj General Pinyo Huankasin yesterday whilst speaking to the media.

Somsak, who police claim was a drug dealer and had served several prison sentences, was wanted for the murder of his girlfriend’s 34 year old ex-partner Chaiprasit Boonlert. He was fatally assaulted at Somsak’s house in Samut Prakran’s Bang Sao Thong district on February 2 and his body was then buried in woods in Chachoengsao’s Ban Pho district to conceal the crime.

Police traced Somsak’s movements from Ubon Ratchathani to Yasothon where the suspect had hijacked two trucks and one motorcycle during his escape and evasion of police.

He had allegedly reached the Pracha Ruamjai intersection at 7pm on Tuesday where he tried to hijack a third pickup.

“It was unlocked and waiting for a green light and police feared for the safety of the driver.”

The suspect sustained multiple gunshots – three in an arm, one in the chest, one in the stomach, one in the leg and two in back – because he also shot at officers, Pinyo said.

National police spokesman Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen also said the armed suspect was killed because he resisted arrest.

Meanwhile, deputy police commissioner General Chalermkiat Srivorakan announced the arrest of the other five suspects, including Somsak’s girlfriend, 22 year old Plaethip Lokrak, whose chat messages allegedly lured the victim to the murder scene, and Somsak’s male friends and subordinates, all aged between 24 and 35.

They have been charged with conspiring in the assault and concealing the body to hide the cause of death. One more suspect, Jakkrit Noisawat, who was accused of helping to bury the body, was taken into custody from a prison where he was detained over a separate drug possession charge.

Somsak had Kitisak, Thanomsak and Wisarut dispose of the body and motorcycle in Soi Wat Bua Roy, Bang Sao Thong. But after police found the victim’s motorcycle, Somsak had Tinnakorn and Jakkrit move the body to bury in it in Chachoengsao.

Police said they later brought the suspects to re-enact the motorcycle and body disposal in the two provinces.

SOURCE: The Nation