Local boat owner shot dead

KOH YAO: A well-known and widely respected long-tail boat owner was found today floating in the sea off Naka Noi Island after he disappeared two days ago. The body of 52-year-old Bangsen Jaidee was found by his daughter who, with other family members, had been searching for the missing man since Saturday. The Gazette understands that he had been shot three times, once in the left shoulder, once in the neck and once in the jaw. Thalang police, who are responsible for Naka Noi Island, are understood to have found 5,000 baht on the victim’s body, along with his watch, rings and mobile phone. According to the dead man’s son in law, 27-year-old Wittaya Sawaengpon, K. Bangsen left Bangrong jetty in Phuket on Saturday morning for Koh Yao Noi with two passengers aboard. He said the boat was driven into Koh Yao Noi later that same day by the two passengers, who refused to say what had happened to K. Bangsen. “Everyone here is very shocked by this,” said K. Wittaya. “No one can understand why anybody would want to kill my father-in-law. He was a very kind man, always helping people.” Police on the island, he said, questioned the two men, both Koh Yao natives, but later released them. Readers of Phuket Insider may remember K. Bangsen, who was interviewed and pictured in the cover story of the magazine’s September issue.