Phuket man who slit father’s throat faces murder charges

UPDATE

The Phuket man who slit his father’s throat on Monday now faces charges of murder. The man, 26 year old Arnon Kammanochart, slit the throat of his father, 51 year old Uthai Kammanochart, in Thalang district.

Arnon claimed that he was defending himself from his father. He said his father physically attacked him when he didn’t have money for cigarettes. Arnon said he did not intend to kill his father and claimed that he was very sorry.

Arnon told The Phuket Express that his father had been a chain smoker, and had always asked him to buy cigarettes multiple times a day. Sometimes his father gave Arnon money for cigarettes and sometimes he did not. His father sometimes verbally threatened him, said Arnon, but he had never attacked him like this before.

Arnon is expected to plead self-defence to the Thai court. He is currently in police custody.

ORIGINAL STORY

A man in Phuket allegedly killed his father in a violent incident over cigarette money. The man, 26 year old Arnon Kammanochart, slit the throat of his father, 51 year old Uthai Kammanochart, in Thalang district yesterday evening. Arnon said that he was defending himself.

Arnon told Thalang Police that his father asked him to buy cigarettes. Arnon said he went to his grandmother’s house for some cash but she refused to give him any money.

Arnon said he came back home and told his father that his grandmother refused to give him money. He said his father then became violent and kicked him in the face.

Arnon says he grabbed a kitchen knife to defend himself and struggled with his father physically before slitting his throat and killing him.

Thalang Police arrived to find Arnon waiting in front of the house, ready to turn himself in. They found Uthai’s body on a bed in the back of the house, with gaping wounds on his neck and face.

There were no witnesses to confirm or deny Arnon’s statement since Arnon and Uthai lived with only each other.

Thai media reported that Arnon and Uthai had been boiling kratom leaves for a drink.

Across Thailand, there have been a few tragic deaths and injuries this year involving family members attacking each other.

In July, a Chon Buri man claimed he shot and killed his stepson in a fit of rage over his loud music. The man said he had been consumed with anger when he shot Prasert after he refused to lower the volume.

Also in July, another Pattaya man allegedly stabbed his relative after the two of them drank together. The victim’s sister told police the two had been drinking and had started to fight, but she had no idea what caused the stabbing. The victim was heavily bleeding, and emergency responders rushed him to a nearby hospital.

After this latest tragedy of violence within a family, a man in Phuket has been left dead.