Teenagers reenact Ao Nang killing

KRABI: The three teenagers accused of the murder of German tourist Petra Sack on Ao Nang Beach two weeks ago took part yesterday in a reenactment of the crime. But despite one of them retracing his flight from the scene, during which, he told police, he had lost the knife used to stab Ms Sack, police were unable to find the murder weapon. All three have already confessed to the murder, however, and the case against them is expected to be concluded within a month. The three – Mana Muangin, 18, Suchart Songnak, 19, and a 16-year-old who may not, under Thai law, be identified – were brought to the beach with their parents, whom police invited as a way to demonstrate that no undue pressure had been put on their sons to confess to the killing. Pol Lt Col Vichasan Boonnarong, Deputy Superintendent of Krabi Police Station said that, before reenacting the murder, the three placed joss-sticks, candles and flowers in front of a photograph of their victim, and apologized to her. “Their parents understand the job the police must do. They watched their sons during the reenactment and showed them the right way to apologize in front of the victim’s photo,” Col Vichasan added. After the reenactment on the beach, Suchart retraced the route he had followed when he fled the scene of the murder. Col Vichasan said, “We didn’t find Suchart knife’s because it’s a large area full of long grass, but he told officers that the knife was in a scabbard on his belt, and fell out while he was running away.” Officers did, however, find a purple neckerchief, which Suchart said he had also lost when running away from the beach. The next step in the proceedings will be for the 16-year-old to appear in front of the Juvenile Court in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, his home province, which will decide whether he should be returned to Krabi for trial alongside the other two. “We have already sent him back to Nakhon Sri Thammarat,” Col Vichasan said, adding that because of this legal requirement it may be a month before the case is resolved. The other two were returned to Krabi Police Station and will be transferred to Krabi Provincial Prison tomorrow, to await trial.