Teenage murder suspects still at large

PHUKET: Four teenagers of the nine suspects in the murder of transsexual and glue addict Keittirat Longnawa remain at large while police try to learn all of their full names so that a single warrant for their arrest can be requested from the court.

Lt Col Adul Niraphai, an Investigating Inspector at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that he knows the full names of two of the teenagers, one 17 and the other 18, but only the nicknames of the two other suspects.

Col Adul told the Gazette that police investigators need the full names of a 14-year-old girl nicknamed “Rom” and 17-year-old boy nicknamed “Mut” before being able to request an arrest warrant for the four remaining suspects.

All were “friends” of 31-year-old Keittirat, whose body was found on January 31 with its throat slashed in a forested area off Soi Honsaitong in Rassada Village 3.

Keittirat, originally from Ao Luk District, Krabi, was living on Soi Mordoo in Rassada at the time of his death, a friend who identified the body told police.

Five suspects, ranging from a 16-year-old girl to a 21-year-old man, have been charged with conspiring to commit murder in the case.

According to police, the youths were huffing glue with the victim when one of the boys became enraged and stabbed K. Keittirat with a kitchen knife.

High on glue, the other eight youths then joined in a frenzy of stabbing, kicking and hitting the victim with sticks, Phuket City Police Station Superintendent Col Nos Sawetalek reported earlier.