Chalong Police pressured over Knudsen murder

PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police expect the investigation into the stabbing murder of Norwegian Simen Sparre Knudsen to end in arrests soon.

Knudsen, a resident of Phuket for 20 years, was stabbed and left for dead on a dark, hilly roadside in Rawai on September 23.

He later died in hospital, despite a valiant effort by a German man to save his life. Knudsen’s wife later told the Gazette that all of his valuable were missing from the hip bag he always wore when he left the house.

Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Col Paween Pongsirin told the Gazette this morning that the provincial police had come under a great deal of pressure to bring the culprits to justice, as the case has a direct bearing on Phuket’s image as a tourist destination.

Col Paween was speaking at a press conference at Phuket International Airport this morning to announce the conclusion of the victim identification work following the September 16 One-Two-Go air crash that claimed 89 lives.

Col Paween said he was following the investigation closely and was confident that it would be solved quickly, although he did not release any details about the investigation being conducted by Chalong Police.

A cause for optimism, he noted that most people who carry out violent robberies were career criminals with police records and most have already spent time behind bars.

“We realize that more needs to be done for criminals after their release so that they do not return to crime,” he said.

Chalong Police yesterday arrested one suspect in Karon for robbing a foreigner. The man has since admitted it was his fourth such robbery this year, he said.

Although the case appears to be unrelated to the Knudsen murder, Col Paween said that he had ordered Chalong Police to have the man re-enact the crimes so that his victims be found and compensated, if possible.

Chalong Police have also been ordered to use the man’s testimony to help identify risk areas and ensure they are made safer for both residents and tourists.

Earlier, the Karon Tambon Chief Winai Chidchiew criticized Chalong Police in the Thai-language press for not doing enough to bring perpetrators of wing raaw (snatch and run) crimes to justice.

“The situation is out of control in Karon,” he said.