Phuket estate manager denies gun charges

PHUKET: Police have confiscated the gun of a Phuket housing estate manager who is accused of using it to intimidate a construction team into stopping their noisy work.

The estate manager felt the work was “too noisy”.

Phuket Police are now investigating whether the gun license he produced is genuine.

Seree Duangsuwan arrived at Phuket City Police Station for questioning last Friday after Swede Mike Hjort and Songkhla native Waleeporn Chinpised filed a complaint on the same day.

The pair claimed that Mr Seree fired a gun into the air after they refused to order their construction team to stop work.

Lt Col Jessada Sansuree of Phuket City Police told the Phuket Gazette yesterday, “Mr Seree came in for questioning along with Mr Hjort, but Mr Seree has denied the charges against him, which are threatening people and carrying and firing a firearm in public.”

Lt Col Jessada explained that Mr Seree had handed in his gun license, which police have sent to Kathu District Office to be verified.

“If the license turns out to be fake, this case will then be taken to court,” he said.

The incident happened while work was being done on a home within ‘The View’ villa estate near Khao Khad Viewpoint, where Mr Seree is manager.

Mr Hjort alleged that Mr Seree had complained about the wood cutting noise in the morning and then attempted to start a physical confrontation.

After Mr Seree left, the team resumed work only to see him returning with a gun and firing shots into the air, Mr Hjort said.

“Since the shooting, we have not resumed work on the project. We will continue our work [only] if the house owner discusses the situation with the people overseeing the project,” he added.

— Atchaa Khamlo