Armed boarder dies in fight on boat in Phuket

Owner retaliates with knife after being shot

source: Bkk Post

Phuket _ An armed man, thought to be a foreigner, died from deep cuts he sustained during a fight with the New Zealander owner of a boat, according to police. The fight took place on board a yacht moored at the Chalong pier around 11.30pm on Wednesday.

The owner of the yacht was identified as Pierre Alain Oberson, 50, a New Zealand national.

Thawatch Boonfueng, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, said Mr Oberson and a woman called Pornthip were on the yacht when a man, believed to be a foreigner aged between 35-40, swam up close to the boat. He was wearing a diving suit and carrying a concealed gun.

Mr Oberson invited the man on board. They drank beer for an hour and then began to argue.

The diver took out his gun and shot Mr Oberson, hitting him in the shoulder. The yacht owner then fought back with a knife.

During the scuffle, the diver was slashed many times on his body. He jumped overboard to escape.

Pol Maj-Gen Thawatch said the diver's body was later found floating near the boat. He is thought to have died from heavy loss of blood. His face was also heavily bruised, possibly after being clubbed by a hard object. Mr Oberson was taken to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.

Mr Oberson had sailed from New Zealand with his wife and children, who were away on Koh Ratcha when the fight took place.

Police say it could be another four to five days before Mr Oberson is well enough to talk to them about what happened. They believe the diver may have intended to rob the boat owner. However, police are also considering the possibility that the pair knew each other.

Pictures of the diver have been distributed to local cable television stations and immigration police.

Covered here in the Phuket forum

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