Sondhi Shooting: Two Arrest Warrants Sought

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SONDHI SHOOTING

Two arrest warrants sought

By The Nation

Published on July 15, 2009

Police name a police officer and soldier as top suspects in case

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that the government would be very serious about handling the assassination attempt on Sondhi Limthongkul and that the police were preparing to issue arrest warrants for two suspected gunmen - a non-commissioned police officer and a non-commissioned military man.

Abhisit made the comment after rumours started doing rounds that deputy police chief General Thanee Somboonsab, the chief investigator, had instructed his subordinates to seek court approval for issuing arrest warrants for two suspects believed to be involved in the attempt on Sondhi's life.

The first suspect is Pol Corporal Weerawut Mungsanti, a non-commissioned officer under the jurisdiction of the Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau, who currently works under Justice Ministry's Special Investigation Department's deputy director general Pol Colonel Dussadee Arayawuthi.

The second man is identified only as Panya, a non-commissioned military official under the jurisdiction of the Lop Buri-based special warfare centre.

Abhisit said that when Thanee reports to him, he would ask if any obstacles had be put in front of him as far as solving the case went. Thanee met the PM yesterday afternoon at Government House but refused to answer any questions.

A source said investigators had earlier questioned witnesses, who had incriminated the two suspects for opening fire at Sondhi's car. The source added that since the case involved a police officer, the two suspects would be tried in ordinary court, not a military one.

A dark purple pick-up truck with a Lop Buri licence plate numbered 1474, seen parked at a hotel in Thon Buri area before the attack, was found to be owned by 27-year-old Rassami Mekchai, a resident of Lop Buri's Muang district.

When the vehicle was brought to the Traffic Police Division at 11am, Scientific Crime Detection officials found a water bottle and an official ID card carrying the name Rassami Mekchai inside. They also dusted the pick-up for fingerprints.

At noon, 10 military officials from the Lop Buri-based special warfare centre came to the Traffic Police Division after hearing that police had confiscated the pick-up truck. However, no senior police officials give the media any details about the case, either before or after the chief investigator met his team after the pick-up was checked.

Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda said he had not been given details about the arrest warrants for the non-commissioned military suspect.

He said the military was ready to help the police deal with the case according to law. He added that he had not issued any special instructions for Lt-General Puchong

Ratanaworaron, chief of the Special Operations Command, to follow when arresting the soldier. He said if the police sought any cooperation from the military about the case, they must comply with the law

-- The Nation 2009/07/15

[jayboy]

Ah, a corporal and an army NCO were the alleged culprits.Hmmm.

[Scott]

"Thanee met the PM yesterday afternoon at Government House but refused to answer any questions."

I am a little confused by this quote from the OP. Does this mean he met with the PM and refused to answer questions from the PM, or he met with the PM and refused to answer questions to the media?

[Oberkommando]

Good idea announcing they are about to issue arrest warrants. Gives the suspects plenty of time to make good their escape, get their stories straight or go into hiding. Or even gives their handlers time to have them silenced.

The farce continues.

[cougar52]

Silence is the key word here!!! The Pol. man is now been missing for 14 days and his boss said if he does not report on the 15th day he faces disciplinary action.

It certainly, a smart police force would arrest the suspect....THEN tell the public how smart they are, and how a good job they are doing.

[Mario2008]

It seems we have 2 threards discussing the same news. Since the other thread is older and has more replies to it I'm closing this one.

Please post further comments in the other thread, which can be found here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/2-Men-Arrest...io-t280429.html