Phuket ‘Ae Inside’ murder: Thai media reports police closing in on killers

PHUKET: Phuket Police appear to be closing in on the person who ordered the killing of Phuket investigative reporter Wisut “Ae Inside” Tangwitthayaporn, according to reports in the Thai-language media.

Following yesterday’s re-enactment of the crime with the confessed driver of the gunman, police say they have gathered enough evidence to apply for arrest warrants for alleged gunman Sanya Klinchum, 41, as well as a man identified only as “Mr Boy”. Both men were involved in a similar case in 2008.

Mr Boy allegedly paid driver Noppadol “Pae” Praisri 50,000 baht for his role in the crime before disappearing. The transaction was carried out in a location near Nimit Circle in Phuket Town, the last stop on yesterday’s five-stop re-enactment tour.

The investigation team includes top investigators from Phuket City Police, Phuket Provincial Police and Police Region 8 in Surat Thani.

Police have dismissed that the motive for the assassination is related to Mr Wisut’s reporting of alleged impropriety in the issuance of land title deeds at Freedom Beach in Patong or in the Nakalay hillsides of Kamala.

They have also dismissed his reporting on the controversial transfer of government officers as another possible motive, saying only that the likely motive was “a personal dispute”.

Investigators hope that the eventual arrest of the gunman and his paymaster will provide enough evidence to apply for an arrest warrant for the person who ordered the killing.

According to today’s edition of Thai-language newspaper Siangtai Daily, police hope to apply for an arrest warrant for a man identified only as “Somkhuan”, the person they suspect hired and paid the assassins.

— Nation Channel