Cop beaten into coma, attacker kills self

PATONG: A police sergeant from Kathu is in a coma in Bangkok Phuket Hospital after a severe beating by two men, one of whom subsequently shot himself with the sergeant’s gun.

The beating took place at 5:30 am yesterday at a noodle shop in Nanai Rd. Reconstructing events, investigators found that Pol Sgt Pramual Thongaugsorn, who was off-duty, went to the shop to eat.

Already in the shop were Wisanu Bumlungsak, 26, from Bangkok, and another man from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, so far known only by his nickname, “Jorm”. Both worked at the My Way Pub in Soi Paradise.

There was already bad blood between the two men and Sgt Pramual, said Pol Lt Col Chawalit Niemwadee of Kathu Police Station. “When Sgt Pramual came into the shop the two started shouting at him, making other diners in the shop nervous. Sgt Pramual told them to stop shouting and asked them to calm down.”

Far from calming down, the two started beating the sergeant about the head with a large Coca-Cola bottle and a piece of wood until he fell unconscious to the floor.

Wisanu grabbed Sgt Pramual’s handgun and the two climbed on their motorcycles and fled.

Police received a tip that Wisanu was living in Kebsap Village on Sai Nam Yen Rd. As they approached the house they could see him packing, but when he spotted the approaching officers he ducked out of sight.

Ordered to surrender, he opened fire on the police with Sgt Pramual’s gun, firing a fusillade of seven shots, all of which missed. Police blockaded the home for an hour before hearing Wisanu shout that he was going to kill himself. This was followed by a single shot.

Entering the house, police found Wisanu lying on the floor with a hole clean through his head. He is believed to have died instantly.

The other man, “Jorm”, is believed to have fled from Phuket. Police are now trying to find and arrest him.