Farang Kills Thai Armed Robber

[qualtrough]

I just saw this story on the Thai Rath Web site. I scanned it quickly, but basically a farang and his 8 mos. pregnant wife were returning to their house on a motorbike when a Thai man with a .22 assaulted the wife and shot her in the head twice as she shouted for help. The farang husband ran to her aid, was shot once, and disarmed the guy and drowned him in a klong. Well done. The husband then brought the wife to the hospital and she is in serious condition. Name of the man as best I can make out is Alder Raple Louis Andre, but that could be way off. Terrible news about the wife, and I hope she recovers and that her child is OK.

อัลเดร์ ราเปล หลุยส์ แอนเดร์

ฝรั่งใจเด็ด มือเปล่าสู้โจร กดน้ำ-ดับ [26 พ.ย. 50 - 12:10]

เมื่อเวลา 00.10 น. วันที่ 25 พ.ย. พ.ต.ต.ธวัชชัย ระวังศรี สารวัตรเวร สภ.แม่สาย จ.เชียงราย รับแจ้งมีเหตุจี้ชิงทรัพย์และทำร้ายเจ้าทรัพย์ได้รับบาดเจ็บที่บ้านเลขที่ 224/1 หมู่ 7 บ้านสันเกล็ดทอง ต.โป่งงาม จึงรายงานให้ พ.ต.อ.ทิวธวัช นครศรี ผกก. พ.ต.ท.ธรรมศักดิ์ ปิ่นทอง รอง ผกก.ป. พ.ต.ท.ถนอมศักดิ์ ยศแผ่น รอง ผกก.สส. พ.ต.ท.ถนอม นาถิเลิศ สวป. นำกำลังชุดสืบสวนเดินทางไปตรวจสอบ

ที่เกิดเหตุเป็นบ้านไม้ชั้นเดียวตบแต่งอย่างดี ส่วนรอบบ้านอยู่ระหว่างก่อสร้างรีสอร์ตอีกหลายหลัง บนเนื้อที่ประมาณ 7 ไร่ บริเวณลานหน้าบ้านพบเลือดกองใหญ่และสิ่งของเครื่องใช้ภายในบ้านกระจัดกระจาย มีร่องรอยคล้ายต่อสู้กันรุนแรง ส่วนริมคลองชลประทานหลังบ้าน พบศพชายฉกรรจ์ไม่ทราบชื่อ อายุประมาณ 30 ปี สูงราว 160 ซม. สวมชุดลายพรางทหาร ใส่รองเท้าเดินป่า แพทย์ลงความเห็นเสียชีวิตเพราะขาดอากาศหายใจ ค้นในตัวไม่พบหลักฐานเป็นใคร ในกระเป๋ากางเกงพบปืนพก .22 พร้อมกระสุน 19 นัด และกระสุนปืน .38 อีก 24 นัด ส่วนหน้าบ้านพบปืนพก .38 ตกอยู่ ในลูกโม่มีปลอกกระสุนคาอยู่ 6 ปลอก

นอกจากนั้นทราบว่ามีผู้บาดเจ็บอีก 2 คนถูกนำส่ง รพ.แม่สายก่อนแล้วทราบชื่อนางลัดดา โยคะวิสัย อายุ 31 ปี เจ้าของบ้าน กำลังตั้งท้องแก่ 8 เดือน ถูกยิงด้วยกระสุนปืน .38 เข้าศีรษะฝังใน 2 นัด อาการสาหัส และนายอัลเดร์ ราเปล หลุยส์ แอนเดร์ อายุ 36 ปี ชาวฝรั่งเศส สามีนางลัดดา ถูกยิงด้วยกระสุนปืนขนาดเดียวกัน เข้าไหล่ซ้าย 1 นัด ถูกส่งต่อที่ รพ.เชียงรายประชานุเคราะห์ทั้งคู่ โดยแพทย์รีบผ่าตัดนำเด็กออกมาด้วยความปลอดภัย เป็นเด็กผู้หญิง ร่างกายสมบูรณ์แข็งแรงดี ส่วนนางลัดดา แม่หนูน้อยอาการยังเป็นตายเท่ากัน ยังอยู่ในห้องไอซียู

สอบสวนทราบว่า ก่อนเกิดเหตุนายอัลเดร์ขี่รถจักรยานยนต์พาภรรยากลับจากซื้อของใช้ภายในบ้านที่ตลาดแม่สาย หลังจอดรถแล้วนายอัลเดร์จะนำข้าวของไปเก็บที่หลังบ้าน ส่วนนางลัดดาเดินไปที่ประตูหน้าบ้าน จังหวะเดียวกันผู้ตายซึ่งเป็นคนร้ายแอบซุ่มในเงามืด บุกล็อกคอนางลัดดาใช้ปืนพกจี้ชิงทรัพย์สิน แต่เหยื่อขัดขืนพร้อมร้องตะโกนเรียกสามีให้ช่วยเหลือ เลยถูกจ่อยิงศีรษะเผาขน 2 นัดซ้อน ร่างทรุดล้มจมกองเลือด จังหวะเดียวกัน นายอัลเดร์ สามี วิ่งจะเข้าช่วยเหลือกลับถูกยิงถล่ม 4 นัด แต่กระสุนเข้าเป้าเพียงนัดเดียว นายอัลเดร์ ฮึดสู้มือเปล่าบุกเข้ากอดรัดฟัดเหวี่ยงจนคนร้ายสู้แรงไม่ไหวถูกลากร่างไปจับกดหัวจมน้ำในคลองชลประทาน จนขาดอากาศหายใจเสียชีวิตอนาถ จากนั้นนายอัลเดร์ ขี่รถพาร่างภรรยาที่ยังหายใจรวยรินไปขอความช่วยเหลือจากตำรวจชุมชนนำส่งโรงพยาบาลดังกล่าว

ต่อมาสายวันเดียวกัน พ.ต.ท.ถนอมศักดิ์ ยศแผ่น รอง ผกก.สส.สภ.แม่สาย พร้อมกำลังตำรวจ เดินทางออกไปตรวจบ้านที่เกิดเหตุอย่างละเอียดอีกครั้ง จนพบหลักฐานทราบชื่อคนร้ายคือนายผจญ ทาคำมา อายุ 29 ปี อยู่บ้านเลขที่ 55 หมู่ 6 บ.สันกอสา ต.โป่งงาม อ.แม่สาย โดยนายผจญเคยเป็นทหารเกณฑ์ และชอบเล่นปืน ส่วนสาเหตุบุกจี้ชิงทรัพย์ครั้งนี้ เพราะกำลังเดือดร้อนต้องการหาเงินใช้หนี้กองทุนหมู่บ้านเป็นเงิน 10,000 บาท ประกอบกับเมียเพิ่งคลอดลูกเลยไม่มีเงินใช้หนี้สิน หมดทางออกคิดสั้นวางแผนบุกจี้ชิงทรัพย์จนถูกฆ่าตายในที่สุด

[seonai]

Good grief! I hope they both survive. Can I move this to news QT?

[JUDAS]

As a father myself I really can't imagine a worse scenario. The husband reacted in a totally natural way, he defended his family by whatever means necessary. My thoughts are with him, his wife and unborn child. I will not post my thoughts on the perpetrator.

[edwardandtubs]

Where did this take place?

[thaihedgehog]

Any more news or links to the story?? What a complete nightmare for them, i hope they fully recover

[Somtamnication]

How sad. I hope the Thai authorities don´t pull their world famous "farang cannot kill Thai people" bs and charge him with murder.

[JimmyTheMook]

How sad. I hope the Thai authorities don´t pull their world famous "farang cannot kill Thai people" bs and charge him with murder.

Will be very interesting to see.

Can someone give a more accurate translation of the story?

[LeungKen]

All will be revealed in the fullness of time.

In the meantime our thoughts are with the victims for a speedy recovery.

[snowflake]

It's all about where you get hit in the head, what kind of bullets that he used. They might report shot twice in the head but did it hit the head straight on? or did the bullets just graze the head. (Not sure but a sad sad story since they might just keep her alive long enough to do a C-section to get the infant.

Guns are bad, Killing is bad, I do hope that they will all get better and see many years together.

[solent01]

Jesus, how awful, I fear the worst for the poor chaps wife, what a horrific thing to witness, god be with them both.

[davejonesbkk]

His wife was shot in the head twice and is still alive???? I mean its good that she is alive but HOW?

[intumult]

Scary moments!! (understatement). Glad he was able to get out there and take the actons he did.

I also hope all make a full recovery.

Being a father / prosoective father can be hard enough without this sort of thing happening.

[zorro1]

His wife was shot in the head twice and is still alive???? I mean its good that she is alive but HOW?

mouth, jaw, lower head region at a morbid guess. very brave man to take on a gunman and disarm him

[qualtrough]

How sad. I hope the Thai authorities don´t pull their world famous "farang cannot kill Thai people" bs and charge him with murder.

I think sympathies are clearly with the farang, as the headline of this story uses the word 'brave' to describe him. Unless there turns out to be more than this story lets on I seriously doubt whether it will be in any trouble with authorities, especially given that the assailant was armed and shot the victim and his wife uprovoked.

The gun used was small caliber, a .22, so it is possible the bullets did not enter the wife's skull or do as much damage as a larger caliber would do, although it does say she was shot at point blank range. Let's hope for the best. As for the location, it is in the title of the post.

If you are reading the Thai please note that I pasted the farang's name just before the headline and forgot to remove it!

Edited November 27, 2007 by qualtrough

[cmsally]

It seems what happened was that they drove back from Mae Sai and husband went to put some things away upon arriving at the house. Wife went to enter house where thief was hiding. He held a gun to her head, she called out , and he then shot her in the head. Husband came running and also got shot, in the shoulder, managed to overpower the thief and then drowned him in the klong. Husband went for assistance and subsequently both were taken to hospital. It says hospital managed to deliver baby safely - healthy baby girl. But mother in ICU.

Subsequently police found evidence of identity of assailant who was an army cadet from the Mae Sai area, who apparently was in need of money to pay off debts.

That is just a brief translation but the gist of the story.

The story was on the front page of todays Thai Rath (which came out yesterday).

[Rimmer]

His wife was shot in the head twice and is still alive???? I mean its good that she is alive but HOW?

.22 is mainly a target gun and thankfully not a man stopper, can still kill at close range but maybe the the ammo was old as well. I've seen some .22 bullits on the range that barely cleared the end of the barrel.

What a dreadfull experience, dunno if I would be able to go up against an armed robber.

[quiksilva]

I'm sure most of us would react in a very similar way. He only used deadly force in reaction to it being used on his wife and then him. It happened in Maesai, Chiang Rai (they actually lists this poor guys moo baan and house number where this went down )

From my extremely limited reading ability it also looks like money was the motivating factor, as the guy was after the grand sum of 10,000 Baht.

(*disclaimer my Thai reading skill is just a fraction above rubbish and I could be way off)

So sad. I feel for them and prey for her speedy recovery. May the perpetrator RIH.

[Ritti]

It says that it was reported in Mae Sai(Just near Chiand Rai but could be a village just outside)

The Thai/Burmese guy did it for money,his wife just gave birth so he was trying to rob them for cash.Now he has ruined his families and the victims families

Hope you wife get better soon

[grantbkk]

Very sad news for the family. Is there a Thai Visa Man of The Year Award? I hope the police don't give him too much grief for killing a local.

Edited November 27, 2007 by grantbkk

[meadish_sweetball]

นายอัลเดร์ ราเปล หลุยส์ แอนเดร์

My take on the name would be it is French, and the person transcribing was unfamiliar with the language and it's sound values. Foreign names are often mistranscribed in newspapers.

The Thai would make something like Alder/Aldre Rapel/Raple Louis Ander/Andre... so he might acually be named Albert Ravel Louis André or something along those lines.

[chanchao]

Grand sum of 10,000 baht... Any relation to the current regulation that foreigners need to carry said amount in cash when crossing the border and coming back?

(Not that I expect people to know the answer to this, but the fact remains that Mae Sai is a dodgy town, AND that the low-life likely knows that foreigners crossing there are likely to carry at least 10K baht.)

Edited November 27, 2007 by chanchao

[cali4995]

The reasoning behind so many of these attacks, the assailant was short of funds

so "went looking" for a farang to rob is one I've read at least 20 times now.

Needless to say, someone willing to shoot a pregnant women must be out of

their skull on yaba or something.tragic, just tragic, my thoughts for the Frenchman.

[Khnom]

Finally, one for the good guys!

I'd have done the same.

[sweetchariot]

Good on him. Lets hope the Thai police take a sensible stand on this, and his wife recovers fully.

Just out of interest, what is a klong?

[ThaidleHands]

How sad. I hope the Thai authorities don´t pull their world famous "farang cannot kill Thai people" bs and charge him with murder.

The gun used was small caliber, a .22, so it is possible the bullets did not enter the wife's skull or do as much damage as a larger caliber would do, although it does say she was shot at point blank range. Let's hope for the best. As for the location, it is in the title of the post.

A .22 pistol cartridge typically doesn't have a lot of penetrating power and can readily deflect off the bone of the skull. But the odd round does penetrate the skull and that tends to be very bad news. It usually won't retain enough velocity to make an exit hole so will ricochet off the inside of the skull going back and forth through the brain tissue.

Being shot "point blank" is inconsequential (except for burns) since the velocity drop in the first few meters isn't appreciable. It's mostly a sensationalist term that implies it's somehow more moral to shoot someone from a slight distance.

Best wishes to the wounded for speedy and full recoveries and here's hoping the Farang is able to avoid any expensive legal entanglements. They ought to pin a medal on him.

[LeungKen]

Good on him. Lets hope the Thai police take a sensible stand on this, and his wife recovers fully.

Just out of interest, what is a klong?

A Khlong can mean anything from a stream or creek to a canal or river.

[Samuian]

... very sad story, hope both of them will get better soon..

but ....to keep things within the lines..

the guy who killed the perpetrator, has at least committed manslaughter, what he did is way beyond self defense!

Sorry, guys what so ever, there are laws and rules, EVERYONE has to stick to them!

Otherwise we're back to the "right of the fist"!

[ThaidleHands]

the guy who killed the perpetrator, has at least committed manslaughter, what he did is way beyond self defense!

Unless you were actually at the crime scene and witnessed the entire sequence of events AND are well-versed in the nuances of Thai criminal law, you have no right to make this assertion.

[qualtrough]

... very sad story, hope both of them will get better soon..

but ....to keep things within the lines..

the guy who killed the perpetrator, has at least committed manslaughter, what he did is way beyond self defense!

Sorry, guys what so ever, there are laws and rules, EVERYONE has to stick to them!

Otherwise we're back to the "right of the fist"!

This is a silly observation. The man's pregnant wife had been shot twice. The man had been shot at 4 times, and hit once. The encounter probably was over in less than a few minutes, during which time the farang overpowered the gunman and took the step necessary to completely ensure that this gunman did no further harm. The victim was under no obligation to secure the guy for police and perhaps run the further risk that he might try to continue his attack. If someone had done this to me and my wife I only hope that I would be able to perform similarly. If you want to observe niceties when your life is under active threat good for you. Let us know where to send the flowers...

[Samuian]

Thaidelhands: what you think who you are?

and

qualtrough : who is silly? This guy whatsoever KILLED another person!

keep the money for the flowers to send some food to the guy who acted in "self defense" and things simply went out of control!

Yes, so was the other guy, but missing 3 times means that he probably was very, very nervous...or out of control...

None of us has been at the scene - so ALL - my AND your assumptions - are assumptions - lets see what the Thai-Law will 'speak"!

"Ye, shall NOT kill!"

Remember?

Edited November 27, 2007 by Samuian