Monday, February 26, 2007

Woman gunned down in Kamala

KAMALA: The long-term partner of a well-known local businessman was gunned down in front of The Club restaurant, on the main road through Kamala, around 7:30 pm on Saturday.

Lt Col Monsak Suebsuwan, Duty Inspector at Kamala Police Station, told the Gazette that the victim is Nongnuch Kongprueb, 42, partner of Harry Tawando, 72.

Col Monsak, the leading investigator in the case, explained to the Gazette that Mr Tawando, a Dutch national, is involved in the property business, specifically in Kamala and along Nanai Rd in Patong. “We suspect that the murder was over a business conflict,” he said.

“That evening Ms Nongnuch received a phone call from a man who asked to meet her at the restaurant so he could give her the Bann Naka Resort Co Ltd company stamp,” he said.

“The men said that they were from an accountant’s office and that the company stamp was ready for her,” he said, adding that was why she had agreed to meet them.

“But she didn’t know that two men who called her were hiding near her home,” he said.

“K. Nongnuch asked an employee to go with her, but the two men followed her on a dark blue Honda Dream to the front of restaurant. The man riding pillion pulled a gun and shot her in the back. They then fled the scene.

“The employee who accompanied her called Mr Tawando. K. Nongnuch was then brought to Patong Hospital where she later died,” Col Monsak added.

Police have arrested one suspect, who has denied any involvement in the killing. He is being held at Kamala Police Station.

Polcie are still searching for the other man believed to be involved in the murder.

Services for K. Nongnuch will be held tonight at 8 pm at Laem Petch Temple in Patong. Cremation will be tomorrow at 1 pm.

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=5532

Accustomed as we are to addressing such news in the Pattaya forum it seems to me that extra judicial resolution of difficult business transactions together with other criminal activities are on the up and up in the LoS.

Perhaps the current regime is experiencing problems in establishing its authority but I have the distinct impression that a vacuum has formed and lawlessness is eager to fill it.

My wife tells me that in her home town vested interests who bunged serious money to the TRT monkeys to gain favour are still awaiting their dividend and are not very happy at being kept waiting. Fires in the local market have been set and feelings are running high. Symptomatic of frustration perhaps but in the absence of an uber godfather to guide these sheep it seems that the natural order is without direction.

In the meantime, what passes for a status quo continues its predictable path.

Or is it a national trait that the Thai are addicted to violence and will always revert to criminality in times of stress?

Colonialism has generally a poor reputation but I can't help but think that had the Thai the good sense to be governed by the British for a hundred years their fledgling democracy might have stood a chance. As it is, it's difficult to envisage any meaningful progress and the country is destined to follow the politics of Dodge City.

NEVER MIND.

I had a tranlsation error talking to the wife.