Man slays blind brother at father’s funeral

KRABI: A blind masseuse was gunned down by his brother at their father’s funeral in Krabi yesterday afternoon.

“Thawee Kongrueng, 54, was attending to relatives after the cremation of his father at Wat Khao Kram, when his brother Seree Kongrueng, 47, walked up to him, pulled a gun and shot him dead,” explained Lt Wittaya Nukhong of the Krabi City Police. “Almost everyone fled the scene in a panic.”

Police arrived to find the body of Mr Thawee on the ground, as his brother stood nearby. The victim had come down from Bangkok for his 84-year-old father’s cremation.

“Mr Seree was standing there, waiting to surrender, along with the homemade gun he used in the murder,” said Lt Wittaya. “He confessed to killing his brother, explaining that the motive had to deal with a land dispute.”

Mr Thawee allegedly sold a 30-rai rubber plantation that his brother had been living on. He then used a court order to force Mr Seree from the property.

Mr Seree also alleged that Mr Thawee made a habit of having sexual relationships with other people’s wives, and had also sexually assaulted his own mentally-ill sister.

Lt Wittaya confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that police were going to question more witnesses regarding the sexual assault allegations against Mr Thawee.

Mr Seree was charged for the murder of his brother and for the illegal possession of a firearm.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong