Krabi man survives assassination attempt

NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: The key witness in a trial against six security forces personnel was shot and injured in Phra Phrom District on Saturday.

The victim was due to testify against the men in an attempted murder case stemming from a previous attempt on his life.

Jit Jansiriwong, 52, was shot as he driving his pickup truck through Tambon Thai Samphao Village 9. He was hit once in the right arm and once in the chest. Relatives rushed him to Maharaj Hospital, where he was reported in a stable condition and able to give a statement to police.

Mr Jit’s wife, 49-year-old Jaruay Amphasuwan, was sitting in the front passenger seat but was unharmed in the attack. At the scene, police collected a number of 5.56mm cartridge cases.

The couple were driving to a relative’s home when the gunmen struck, Mrs Jaruay said.

At the scene of the attack, the driver of another pickup truck, parked by the side of the road, turned on the vehicle’s high-beam headlights before 10 gunshots rang out, Mrs Jaruay said. The vehicle then sped off.

“Jit used to be a farmer in Krabi and has been shot once before, but survived,” Mrs Jaruay said.

“Jit could remember the faces of the people who shot him last time. It turned out that it was a gang of six men from the security forces. The trial is now on and the court is due to hear witnesses testimony soon. This is why Jit left Krabi; he was afraid his life was in danger, so he came back here to his hometown to prepare for his court appearance, but the criminals came and shot him again,” Mrs Jaruay explained.

Krabi province borders Phuket, Phang Nga, Trang and Satun.

Deputy Superintendent Wutiphong Thitisaroj of Phra Phrom Police said that Mr Jit is the only witness in the previous attempt on his life and was prepared to identify the six people involved in that attack. The case has now gone to trial and Mr Jit was due to appear before the court on March 22 next year.

Police believe the defendants in the trial are likely to have tried to have Mr Jit killed to prevent him from testifying, Lt Col Wutiphong said.

From now on, Mr Jit will have high-level protection to prevent any further attempts on his life, Col Wutiphong added.

— Kom Chad Luek