Patong Killer 'planned Second Expat Murder'

[alanmorison]

PHUKET POLICE say a professional hitman from Bangkok who killed a Canadian in Patong at the behest of a woman from Singapore planned to murder a second expat on the island.

The hitman confessed last night to one killing in Patong and told police that he had a second contract to murder another expat on Phuket.

The island's police chief, Major General Apirak Hongtong, said that Bangkok-based Somchai Mingjaiyen planned to wait a month after shooting dead a Canadian property developer, then carry out his second hit.

This would mean the killing of the second Phuket expat was scheduled for next week, or the week after.

Somchai Mingjaiyen was one of six accused presented to the media last night amid remarkable scenes at Kathu police station in Patong.

Details here: http://phuketwan.com/tourism/patong-killer...d-expat-murder/

Singapore woman accused: http://phuketwan.com/tourism/patong-murder...porean-accused/

Edited March 7, 2009 by alanmorison

[Pakeha]

I hope the second expat is warned. I'd want to know if there was a hit out on me.

[H2oDunc]

Could we not send the Thai interrogators over to the USA and UK to show the CIA and MI5 how to get someone to confess ? Give them their due when they get the guy/s they always sing like canaries ? And Iv'e never read of one complaining of being tortured either ?

[sbk]

Just because they do not complain does not necessarily mean a thing. I know of at least one person who confessed under duress and recanted later. Despite the fact that he recanted, that the confession was forced and they had no evidence he spent another two years in a Thai jail awaiting the court's decision before he was finally released.

[alanmorison]

Good point, sbk. Phuketwan is usually careful to say that these are police allegations, because confessions can be obtained by abuse or threats. Other media organisations take what the police say as fact, without the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But last night, in quite extraordinary circumstances, the shooter confessed at Kathu police station without prompting - and seemingly, without duress. Nevertheless, he could recant and plead not guilty in court. Too often, the presumption is automatically of guilt. The second expat target may not have too much to worry about if the shooter is in custody and his hirer is being pursued. But maybe he should change his ways?

Edited March 7, 2009 by alanmorison

[londonthai]

"proffessional hitmen" confessing to another planned murder, using his true ID to check in at the hotel next to the murder scene, receiving huge money on his thai bank account and not using any form of mask to do a killing in a broad daylight in a public place? Something here is not right

[grantbkk]

"proffessional hitmen" confessing to another planned murder, using his true ID to check in at the hotel next to the murder scene, receiving huge money on his thai bank account and not using any form of mask to do a killing in a broad daylight in a public place? Something here is not right

Perfectly understandable. "Professional Hitman" may be his occupation but without his CV we don't know if he was a good one. Or, just like all the people in entertainment areas of Thailand who claim to work for the CIA, NSA or some form of special forces, he is exaggerating his abilities, talents and self worth.

Like most of the other "hitmen" caught daily here in the Land of Smiles he may just be a thug with a gun who became a "hitman" out of necessity due to lack of funds. He is doing all the "Professional Hitmen" a disservice by claiming to be a professional. One indicator that may enhance his reputation is to check the police list of "Professional Hitmen" that they claim they follow around during elections and such. TIT.

[steelepulse]

Sounds like they did decent work with looking at cctv footage, checking hotel registrations etc.  Glad I don't live in Kathu where the 2nd hit was supposedly going to take place.  I wonder if the Singaporean lady that was charged was still here in Thailand, or if the swift Thai criminal justice system asked for extradition. and it was granted.

[neverdie]

Well he may have declared himself a 'professional hitman' but perhaps his first job whilst effective, may be his last. His second job isnt looking real hot anymore.

Seriously it goes will alot of the other professionals here, the professional bricklayer that builds crooked walls, the professional laundry lady that burns my $200 shirt with her iron, the professional mechanic that forgot to do up my wheel nuts after he rotated the tyres, the professional air con man who JUST CANNOT get my aircon working, etc etc.

[imaneggspurt]

"proffessional hitmen" confessing to another planned murder, using his true ID to check in at the hotel next to the murder scene, receiving huge money on his thai bank account and not using any form of mask to do a killing in a broad daylight in a public place? Something here is not right

No, and this is the scary part, these people can be hired anywhere for as little as 30k im told and they dont even seem bothered if/when caught,.as with many thai crimes i see the suspects dont even try to get away with it, bloody scary,.

[imaneggspurt]

Well he may have declared himself a 'professional hitman' but perhaps his first job whilst effective, may be his last. His second job isnt looking real hot anymore.

Seriously it goes will alot of the other professionals here, the professional bricklayer that builds crooked walls, the professional laundry lady that burns my $200 shirt with her iron, the professional mechanic that forgot to do up my wheel nuts after he rotated the tyres, the professional air con man who JUST CANNOT get my aircon working, etc etc.

Seems to me too that only one profession operates well in thailand !

[Jimjim]

"proffessional hitmen" confessing to another planned murder, using his true ID to check in at the hotel next to the murder scene, receiving huge money on his thai bank account and not using any form of mask to do a killing in a broad daylight in a public place? Something here is not right

No, and this is the scary part, these people can be hired anywhere for as little as 30k im told and they dont even seem bothered if/when caught,.as with many thai crimes i see the suspects dont even try to get away with it, bloody scary,.

Well, in this case, the price was more than 1 million baht. He had received the first payment of 400,000 in a bank account and that was one of the pieces of the puzzle evidently.

[saneroad]

A chilling new detail tagged onto the top of our original story...

Here's what the Straits Times in Singapore reported on March 10 in following up the Phuketwan exclusive: A police officer said Somchai's next target, who apparently lives in the central Kathu area between Phuket town and Patong, would not be warned. 'There is no need to warn them (businessmen) because they must know the risks, especially if they have conflicts and can't talk to each other and resolve them,' the police officer said. He added: 'Sometimes this kind of thing is just a threat arising from a business dispute. It is seen as the final way out, which is not right because there is a justice system to handle things like this'

[TheWalkingMan]

A chilling new detail tagged onto the top of our original story...

Here's what the Straits Times in Singapore reported on March 10 in following up the Phuketwan exclusive: A police officer said Somchai's next target, who apparently lives in the central Kathu area between Phuket town and Patong, would not be warned. 'There is no need to warn them (businessmen) because they must know the risks, especially if they have conflicts and can't talk to each other and resolve them,' the police officer said. He added: 'Sometimes this kind of thing is just a threat arising from a business dispute. It is seen as the final way out, which is not right because there is a justice system to handle things like this'

<deleted>?

Now that is very scary... We know person X is on a hit list, but we will not warn him. We'll just sit back and see how it plays out. WOW

TheWalkingMan

[londonthai]

the killer, the lady who ordered the killing and the rest of the gang (2 were still missing a few days ago, but judging by the speed of the investigation and instant confessions, they are behind bars as well), so the next assasination is not likely.

however, police has a duty (if they already know the name of the next victim) to warn that person and give him advice what should do. Now every businessman in the are is going to tip-toe.

the cop is talking very generally ('There is no need to warn them (businessmen) "), so most probably the name is not known yet

[CFIT]

I don't know what's going on at PhuketWan, but the editor responses to some of the comments on this topic are really way over the line of responsible journalism, in fact way over the line of any kind of ethical reporting at all.

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/patong-killer...#acomment_10751

Comment: Is the name of this 'other expat' known and if yes has he been notified? Kathu is a very large area with many expat residents that now might be worried about their latest affair or otherwise.

Editor: With the hitman apprehended and the police hot on the trail of the contractor, Kathu expats now only have to worry about their next affair or otherwise.

Comment: I agree with Anonymous and disagree with the editor's reply. If the police and news can mention that an expat in Kathu had a contract on his head, they must also warn this individual and let the public know this has been done.

Editor: We are journalists, not police. The safety of individuals is the job of the police. In any event, our article has warned every expat wrong-doer in Kathu. By now, they are all behaving themselves, right?

Comment: I cannot believe you are using the slang, rude and arguably racist term," farang," in a report.

It denotes persons of caucasian ancestry only and thus is not suitable for news reports.

And your response to " Not Living in Kathu," is reprehensible in its assumptions of guilt. . . and vigilante justice.

Editor: The term 'farang' is widely used politely, without any sense that it is derogatory. We tend to use 'expat' more regularly. The word 'foreigner' is usually more of a problem because the clear implication is that the person does not belong, although not everyone who used it is being racist. We try to avoid that word. As the shooter was arrested and police were pursuing the issue, I fail to see why anyone would be concerned about life in Kathu . . . except those with guilty consciences. Sum num nah.

(NOTE; "Farang" is acceptable but "foreigner" isn't? )

Comment: " ...Except those with guilty consciences, Sum Num Nah" ?

You are way out of bounds and have crossed the line of responsible journalism. ..

(Mr. Morison I suggest you put your office staff on a leash .) ...

Editor: "... As for the Kathu case, with the shooter in police custody, what would any right-thinking person have to fear? Phuketwan's readers are law-abiding people who have no cause for alarm or concern. .".

Edited March 22, 2009 by CFIT

[LivinLOS]

How to lose any semblance of professionalism they had built up in a couple of comments. They (the comment poster) really has no concept of what journalistic integrity means do they.. Like bloody children.