Bird seller slain in Phuket

KATA, PHUKET: Chalong Police are hunting for a man who stabbed and bludgeoned a man to death in front of a crowd of horrified witnesses in Phuket on Wednesday night.

Nakhon Sri Thammarat native Teerasak Sukkasem, the 40-year-old owner of a store selling caged birds, died at the scene.

Inspector Anukul Nookate of Phuket City Police was alerted to the crime around 12:10am yesterday.

When police arrived at the scene, a store opposite Kata Temple on Patak Road, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered around Mr Teerasak’s body.

The body of the victim, face down in a pool of blood, had multiple stab wounds to the back and head.

Police found two bricks next to the body and the victim’s motorcycle parked in front of the store.

Rescue workers took Mr Teerasak’s body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for examination.

Investigation revealed the victim stopped at the store to buy beer when he ran into a fat, dark-skinned man around 40 years of age with whom he had a previous dispute.

The two men began arguing, then punching each other.

The suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Teerasak, who fell to the ground.

The man stabbed his fallen victim several times in the back before picking up a brick and smashing his head three times.

By this time a crowd was gathering and the suspect fled down a small soi by the side of the store.

Police launched a search for the suspect, but as of yesterday no arrest has been reported.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim had a criminal record, having been convicted of obstructing a Chalong Police officer in the performance of his duty around two years ago, police said.