Two sought over restaurateur’s murder

RAWAI: Police are on the lookout for a man and a teenager involved in the beating to death of a Koh Racha Yai restaurateur after a 15-year-old boy turned himself to Chalong Police Station yesterday evening.

Pol Col Chalit Kaewyarat, Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, told the Gazette that the 15-year-old had confessed to police that he was one of three people who attacked Koh Racha Yai restaurateur Dern Wora-ngon and his nephew, Jantree Mahawongpan, 26, early yesterday afternoon.

Col Chalit explained that K. Dern and K. Jantree arrived at Bangkhontee Beach in Rawai yesterday and were ambushed by Tailee Salee, 48, a boat captain, and two teenagers, one being the youth who turned himself in.

The youth insisted that although he had punched and kicked K. Dern and K. Jantree, he had not used a weapon, Col Chalit added.

During the attack, K. Jantree fled into the sea, but K. Dern fought with the attackers, one of whom used three-inch by three-inch piece of lumber to hit him.

K. Jantree reported the attack to Chalong Police Station, but by the time officers arrived, K. Dern had been beaten to death. The blood-stained piece of lumber was lying nearby.

Col Chalit said that the body also displayed injuries that were a more likely caused by a sharp weapon.

He said that Tailee and his friends often drank at K. Dern’s restaurant but had often refused to pay the bill, adding that K. Dern and Tailee had come to blows on previous occasions over the outstanding bills.

Police have applied for a warrant to arrest Tailee and his other accomplice.

The boy who surrendered was charged with being an accomplice to bodily harm causing death.

He is being held at Chalong Police Station, pending transfer to the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center.