Pattaya mechanic batters customer to death after row over parts
Stick row turns deadly in Pattaya price punch-up
A petty row over motorbike parts turned into a fatal street brawl in Pattaya, leaving a 33 year old man dead and his long-time mechanic friend facing a murder charge.
The deadly drama unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, July 12 when 31 year old Somjet Sapprasert, allegedly bludgeoned his customer, 33 year old Sonthaya “Toomtam” Nuchlek, to death with a sharpened wooden stick during a fiery bust-up over spare part prices.
Police said the pair, both well known in the Soi Wat Thung Krad area, had been arguing near the railway tracks around 11am.
According to Lieutenant Wongsathorn Marknanta, Sonthaya’s relatives reported he had been rushed to Pattaya Hospital with severe head and back injuries. Despite efforts to save him, he later died.
By 1pm, police had tracked down the suspect’s blue Mitsubishi Strada, the same vehicle used to ferry the dying man to hospital.
Officers arrested Somjet, a local motorcycle mechanic, at his home and brought him in for questioning.
After a two-hour grilling, he cracked, Pattaya News reported.
Somjet confessed to attacking Sonthaya with a stick after a heated row over pricing.
“Sonthaya was moaning that my parts were too expensive. I told him to go to another shop if he didn’t like it.”
The pair had apparently known each other for years. Sonthaya often brought his bike in for custom mods.
But this time, tempers flared. Somjet claimed Sonthaya turned violent first, punching him and swinging a metre-long stick, which he said was “for hitting dogs.”
Somjet said he wrestled the weapon away and lashed out in a blind rage.
“I hit him until he dropped.”
According to the mechanic, Sonthaya later gasped, “I give up, I’m sorry.”
The two allegedly made peace but minutes later, Sonthaya began gasping for air and collapsed again.
Panicked, Somjet sped off on his bike to fetch his pickup and rushed the injured man to hospital.
He insisted he didn’t flee and had waited “several hours” before heading home, where police eventually picked him up.
“I lost it. I didn’t mean to kill him. I’m sorry to his family.”
Police seized the 60cm stick, the clothes Somjet wore, and carried out a reenactment at the scene.
He now faces charges of causing bodily harm resulting in death and remains in custody.
Meanwhile, reporters visiting the railway track where the alleged assault took place were met with scepticism from Sonthaya’s relatives, who said he had “no reason” to be in that area.
The family plans to retrieve the body for funeral rites at Wat Thung Krad on July 13, vowing to seek justice for his death.
The investigation continues.
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