Phuket teen stabs ex-girlfriend’s new lover in jealous rage

PHUKET: A teen, recently released from the island’s juvenile detention center, is on the run after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new lover seven times in a jealous rage in Phuket Town early this morning.

Phuket City Police arrived at the scene, outside of Royal Phuket City Hotel, at about 12:30am. There, they found a 29-year-old hotel employee, named by police only as Ms Ple, standing near a pool of blood.

“Ms Ple told police that she is the girlfriend of Akekawit Limpanopas, 27, who had already been rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital by the time officers arrived,” said Maj Ratthakhet Manmuang of the Phuket City Police.

“She said that her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend had attacked Mr Akekawit and stabbed him several times in the abdomen.”

Ms Ple revealed that the minor, whose name police are unable reveal, had recently been released from the Juvenile Observation and Protection Center (JOPC) in Saphan Hin, where he had been detained over theft charges.

“Before he was arrested and taken to JOPC, he told me that if I found a new boyfriend while he was away he would kill the man as soon as he got out,” Ms Ple told police.

Ms Ple began dating Mr Akekawit while the 17-year-old was at the JOPC.

“He must have known that Mr Akekawit would come to pick up Ms Ple from work. He waited until Mr Akekawit showed up at the hotel and then attacked him,” Maj Ratthakhet told the Phuket Gazette.

“After the attack, he fled the scene on a motorbike with no licence plate.”

Officers are searching for the suspect to arrest him on attempted murder charges.

Mr Akekawit is currently in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a source at Vachira Hospital told the Gazette.

— Thawit Bilabdullar