Teen arrested with murder victim’s gun

PATONG: Police arrested Theerasak Sae-Ong, 18, last Friday after he was found carrying a short-barrel shotgun that he claimed he bought from Pongsakorn “Kho” Naksuk, who was shot dead on the south side of Phuket City a week earlier.

Sub Lt Naruewat Putthawiro of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that a security guard at Night Station Pub and Disco on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd called police at 3:30 am, saying that 10 teenagers were milling around the entrance of the club and that some of them were armed.

“Police arrived and found Theerasak carrying the gun tucked into his belt and two cartridges in his pocket,”Sub Lt Naruewat said.

“Theerasak was arrested and taken to Kathu Police Station, where he told police that he and his friends had gone to Night Station Pub and Disco, and that he had the gun to protect himself.

“Theerasak also confessed that he had bought the gun from Kho, who was shot dead the week before for 2,000 baht, but he said that he didn’t know Kho well,” he added.

Kho, 24, was shot several times in the upper arms, head and back with a .357-caliber weapon. His body was found on April 7 lying face up next to his motorcycle near the Villa Suanluang project construction site, on the new road that runs along the south end of Suan Luang Park.

Theerasak was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and carrying a firearm in a public area.

Lt Col Sompong Boonrat, Deputy Superintendent at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that police have some evidence from the murder and are waiting to collect more to build a solid case against the suspect.

“We don’t want to give more information now as we are concerned that the suspect might be alerted and run away,” he said.