Man, 64, arrested for slaying fighting cock thief

PHUKET: A 64-year-old man has been charged for killing a fighting cock thief in the hills north of Patong before dawn this morning.

Jarus Rattanarat, 64, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, called the Patong Police at about 1:20am to report the killing himself.

“He waited for us to arrive at the scene, at Soi Phra Baramee 7, and told us that he had killed a man who was trying to steal his roosters, but claimed he acted in self defense,” said Lt Col Anukul Nookate of the Patong Police.

Police found the body of Weerawat Tiangnoi, 21, near a chicken coop at the scene.

“He had two deep wounds to his neck, and we found a long blade beside his body,” said Col Anukul.

Mr Jarus told police that he and his wife were suspicious after several fighting cocks disappeared in the days leading up to last night.

“Many of our chickens had disappeared – fighting roosters, hens and eggs,” he said. “Me and my wife thought it might be snakes, but we decided to watch the coops for the past three nights.”

Last night they finally caught the culprits and tried to intervene, Mr Jarus claimed.

“We saw Weerawat and another man trying to steal our fighting cocks,” he said.

“I presented myself [Mr Jarus was armed with a gardening scythe] and shouted at Weerawat to stop, but instead he ran at me with a sword in his hand, so I protected myself.

“The next thing I knew he was dead, and the other man had run away.”

Police charged Mr Jarus with murder, but are continuing their investigation.

“We have yet to determine whether Mr Jarus intended to kill Mr Weerawat,” Col Anukul said.

— Thawit Bilabdullar