New Year’s Eve Shooting Murder In Phuket

[webfact]

New Year's Eve shooting murder in Phuket

Mr Wanchai was gunned down in front of the Icon Pub and Restaurant in the early morning hours on New Year's Day.

RAWAI, PHUKET: Police are searching for the gunmen who shot and killed a man celebrating the New Year holiday early yesterday morning in what police believe was a revenge killing by rival gang members.

Chalong Police Investigator Boonlert Onklang identified the deceased as 24-year-old Wanchai Withaya, a Chalong resident.

Police received a report of the shooting at the popular Icon Pub, on the road to Kata in Nai Harn, at 4:30am on yesterday..

Chalong Police Superintendent Chinnarat Rittakananond and other investigators rushed to the scene, where they found a crowd of Thai and foreign tourists gathered around the body of the victim on the ground in front of the pub.

Mr Wanchai was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town where he was later pronounced dead of bullet wounds with entry points at the right cheek and left ear. The caliber of the bullet has not yet been reported.

Police questioned a close friend of the deceased, who said Mr Wanchai was among a large group of friends who went to the pub together to celebrate the new year.

Mr Wanchai was employed as a gardener at a villa residence on Soi Suksan in Rawai, the friend told police.

According to the friend, Mr Wanchai was drinking at a table when a man identified only as 'Tor' approached and slapped him in the face twice. After this, about 10 friends of the deceased attacked Tor in retaliation.

Knowing Tor's reputation and not wanting further problems, Mr Wanchai's party quickly paid their bill and left, the friend told police.

However, Mr Wanchai later returned with his uncle, hoping to make sure there were no hard feelings on the part of Tor, who has a reputation as a gangster, the friend said.

As Mr Wanchai and his uncle were talking with Tor outside the bar, two Thai youths approached them on a motorbike. The man riding pillion shot Mr Wanchai twice in the head and the pair sped off.

Chalong Police continue to investigate the motive behind the attack, which they presume to have been revenge.

As of this morning they had yet to arrest any suspects.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010/1/2

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[mrukman]

oh dear another murder on thailands premier holiday isle wont be long before a tourist gets it that tuk tuk driver nearly did it is he back working yet or is he still on the run or as i suspect is he running jj to the beach at patong so he can carry on threatening tourists. No more is phuket sinking into the mire its sunk with its greed and curruption.

[randomchase]

very concise reporting, well moderated, and informative, a joy to get the facts

i did not see this report any where so was seeking confirmation

to the story told to me. thanK you for directing me to this report

please delete my initial post su kie for random

[RawaiRumpRaider]

Stay in franag Areas and don't fall out with Thais How hard is that?

[stevenl]

Stay in franag Areas and don't fall out with Thais How hard is that?

Yes, don't fall out with potentially violent people.

But creating getto's is exactly the wrong reaction to any kind of violence.

Also, this kind of violence is simply a matter of 'wrong people', and could happen anywhere. There is imo no connection at all with jj, tuktuks or any other kind of those things.

[mrukman]

But it doesn't happen anywhere steveni the local gangsters don't care if tourists are around when they decide to have a shoot out it could be a back st bar or patong beach rd in broad daylight in the afternoon in full view of holiday tourists with there family's crime as everyone knows is on the increase in phuket or are you in denial simoni that it is not a major problem it only takes another tuk tuk driver to attack an older tourist and you will have your 1st murder, this is the prime reason phuket is finished as a tourist destination if it was a farang who comitted this crime or any other crime that damaged phukets reputation they would have been paraded the next day outside chalong police station with all the officers pointing there fingers at him but when its a local an arrest isnt even forthcomeing and is shoved under the carpet.

[markg]

But it doesn't happen anywhere steveni the local gangsters don't care if tourists are around when they decide to have a shoot out it could be a back st bar or patong beach rd in broad daylight in the afternoon in full view of holiday tourists with there family's crime as everyone knows is on the increase in phuket or are you in denial simoni that it is not a major problem it only takes another tuk tuk driver to attack an older tourist and you will have your 1st murder, this is the prime reason phuket is finished as a tourist destination if it was a farang who comitted this crime or any other crime that damaged phukets reputation they would have been paraded the next day outside chalong police station with all the officers pointing there fingers at him but when its a local an arrest isnt even forthcomeing and is shoved under the carpet.

Phuket's not even nearly finished as a tourist destination, don't worry about that. There are mercifully few foreigners murdered here - far far more die in motorcycle accidents. For murders, off the top of my head, i can think of the Scandinavian chap Knuttson (?) who was stabbed on the Naiharn/Kata road. There was the property guy near Tesco-Lotus who was killed in a burglary, and then there was the old Japanese chap who's Thai wife apparently had him killed before burning the body.

All terrible crimes, but their impact on tourism is very limited.

We live here so have memories of the place. Tourists just want a 2 week break on the beach. They said Phuket would be dead and buried after the tsunami - but it isnt.

In 12 months or less the JJ Jet ski thing will be forgotten.

Thais murdering Thais won't even make the news back home.

There's just been a shooting in Finland - a country with some of the highest gun ownership in Europe. Would that stop you going on holiday to Finland? Probably not.

[stevenl]

But it doesn't happen anywhere steveni the local gangsters don't care if tourists are around when they decide to have a shoot out it could be a back st bar or patong beach rd in broad daylight in the afternoon in full view of holiday tourists with there family's crime as everyone knows is on the increase in phuket or are you in denial simoni that it is not a major problem it only takes another tuk tuk driver to attack an older tourist and you will have your 1st murder, this is the prime reason phuket is finished as a tourist destination if it was a farang who comitted this crime or any other crime that damaged phukets reputation they would have been paraded the next day outside chalong police station with all the officers pointing there fingers at him but when its a local an arrest isnt even forthcomeing and is shoved under the carpet.

It does happen anywhere, check worldwide news for things like this.

No connection at all, also not in the minds of tourists, with potentially touristm threatening events like jj, tuktuk beating, etc.