Three murdered in one night

PHUKET: Three men were killed in three separate incidents in a night of violence in Phuket.

The first victim was 21-year-old Amnart Niget, of Chumpon, who was fatally shot outside the Summer Hotel in Phatipat Road, Phuket City, at 2am on 12 August.

Two hours later, a restaurant employee was beaten to death by a gang of teenagers, also in Phuket City.

And, at around the same time, a 19-year-old man was shot dead as he grilled barbecue outside a hotel in Patong.

In the first incident, K. Amnart, of Chumpon, was pronounced dead at Wachira Hospital after being shot in a fight. Police later arrested Thiensak Ak Paiboon, 25, close to where the fight had taken place. He admitted shooting K. Amnart, but claimed he had acted in self-defence.

However, a police spokesman quoted witnesses as saying that Thiensak had been driving past the hotel when he saw K. Amnart outside. He got out of the car and approached K. Amnart. An altercation ensued, during which Amnart punched Thiensak and knocked him to the floor. Thiensak then pulled out a 6.35mm handgun and shot K. Amnart.

Police said Thiensak had been a volunteer police officer in Phuket, but had been suspended more than three years ago because of a tendency towards violence.

Police arrested Thiensak and charged him with causing death.

In the second killing, 30-year-old Sanae Nuchumpoo, who worked at Kung Ja night spot, was attacked after calling the police to disperse a gang of unruly teenagers.

Staff told police K. Sanae had been playing draughts outside the Surin Road restaurant when around eight teenagers arrived on motorbikes. The youths shouted loudly and smelled of glue.

K. Sanae called the police, a patrol car arrived, and the teenagers ran away. But after the police left, the teenagers returned, one wielding an iron pipe and another a large wooden club. They beat K. Sanae senseless, then fled. K. Sanae later died at Wachira Hospital.

Pol Col Paween Pongsirin said police know the identities of the teenagers involved.

In Patong, barbecue vendor Suwan Panleua was shot in the head at close range as he worked near the entrance to the Patong Resort Hotel. Police later said K. Suwan, of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, had been killed because of a dispute over a grilled chicken stand.

Witness Chuechart Pinsuntorn told police that two men had arrived on a blue Honda motorbike; they parked the bike about four meters from K. Suwan’s barbecue pushcart and then walked up to him. One man drew a handgun and shot K. Suwan in the head. The two men took a minute to check that their victim was dead, then drove away.

The murder weapon was a home-made handgun firing shotgun cartridges.

Police later found the motorbike at the ‘Champ’ noodle stand, near the entrance to the Safari Elephant Camp. The bike was found to belong to the owner of the noodle stand, 31-year-old Uten Phattanawong, who later admitted that he had hired a drinking partner, Khosin Songklap, to kill K. Suwan.

Pol Maj Sophon Barirak told the Gazette, “Uten said his main reason for killing Suwan was that, three months ago, he was in a dispute with a grilled chicken vendor, Pornchai Na Manee, over territory for his mobile restaurant. They fought each other. Suwan went to help Pornchai and kicked Uten, injuring him.”

Maj Sophon added that Uten was angry and when, in his home town, Nakorn Sri Thammarat, he met 25-year-old Khosin he hired him to kill K. Suwan.

Maj Sophon said Uten and Khosin had both been arrested and charged with causing death.