Teen killer arrested after return from Ranong

PHUKET: Phuket City Police have arrested a man wanted for the January 2 shooting of 17-year-old Anukul Boonwong.

Phuket City Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit identified the suspect as Sulaimarn “Chuk” Wetkla, who was presented with an arrest warrant and taken into custody in front of his home in Rassada Village 7 at 11 pm yesterday.

Details of the arrest were announced at a press conference in front of Phuket City Police Station.

A warrant for Sulaiman’s arrest was issued on the day of the shooting, but he went into hiding in Ranong, according to police.

He had recently returned to Phuket and had been on the island for about a week before his arrest.

The suspect confessed to shooting Mr Anukul in the back as he and five fellow gang members chased the victim and two of his friends by motorcycle all the way to Sapam from Saphan Hin, where they had attended the Red Cross Fair.

The shooting took place at the three-way junction in Sapam, where the bypass road splits off from Thepkrasattri Rd.

Mr Anukul was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

Police quickly arrested the five members of Sulaimarn’s gang, including three minors.

All confessed to conspiracy to commit murder and identified Sulaimarn as the shooter.

The alleged motive for the murder was that Sulaimarn’s girlfriend –  identified only as Miss Aoi – had been flirting with one of Mr Anukul’s friends.