Phuket police nab fugitive murder suspects

PHUKET CITY: Chalong Police on Sunday arrested two brothers wanted for armed robbery and murder in Ratchaburi province last year.

Police identified the pair as 28-year-old Aekapop Soonthorn and his brother Anurak Soonthorn, 25.

Both are Ratchaburi natives.

Mr Aekapop was arrested first on Soi Anusorn in Chalong Village 2.

Mr Anurak was picked up later the same day at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.

Mr Anurak was at the hospital to pick up his female companion and the couple’s baby, born at the hospital three days earlier.

After their arrests both men confessed to their involvement in an armed robbery and murder of a victim in Ratchaburi last year, police said.

Police were acting on arrest warrants issued by Ratchaburi Provincial Court in late December, 2008.

A third brother who was allegedly with them at the time was arrested earlier.

After their arrests, both men confessed to their involvement, police said.

The brothers told Chalong Police they were sleeping in the home of a man identified only as ‘Jo’, who woke them up and asked them to come along in a car ‘if they wanted to make some money’.

The trip ended with the murder of the intended victim, with the four men allegedly dividing up the spoils: four bahtweight in gold and four thousand baht in cash, police said.

The brothers were held in a cell at Chalong Police Station until they were returned to Ratchaburi by officers from the Ratchaburi Muang District Police.

The charges against them include armed robbery, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and multiple charges for the illegal possession and use of firearms.

— Gazette Reporters