Phuket Police Have Arrested 4 People In Connection With The Murder Of Italian Resort Owner

[webfact]

Breaking News: Suspects arrested for Butti murder

PHUKET: -- Police have arrested at least four people in connection with the shooting murder of Italian resort owner Luciano Butti, 61.

Mr Butti was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night.

Takuapa District Police Inspector Wannarat Mahachode and his team of investigators arrested 23-year-old Rachanon Saowaree at the Takuapa Bus Station yesterday, according to initial reports.

The youth, a native of Kuraburi District in Phang Nga, agreed to take part in the contract killing for 50,000 baht in payment from a business partner of the victim, also reportedly an Italian, police said.

After completing the contract, Mr Rachanon felt under pressure from the police investigation and tried to flee Phuket to his native Kuraburi District in Phang Nga.

He was was employed as a boat mechanic by a Phuket-based tour company, it was reported.

Mr Rachanon was spotted getting on a Ranong-bound bus in Tambon Khok Kloy, Phang Nga, yesterday.

Khok Kloy Police contacted Takuapa District Police, who arrested Mr Rachanon when the bus made a scheduled stop at the bus terminal in that district.

According the initial report, Mr Rachanon has denied the charges.

It was also initially reported that the trigger-man in the killing was a “civil servant” based in Yala, in Thailand’s troubled Deep South region.

A press conference was held at Phuket Provincial Police headquarters this morning.

More information to follow.

- Nation Breaking News

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-03-19

Related topic:

Italian National Murdered In Phuket

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[asiawatcher]

Murky business - everything is revealed in the fullness of time...

[sirchai]

Mr Butti was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night.

Takuapa District Police Inspector Wannarat Mahachode and his team of investigators arrested 23-year-old Rachanon Saowaree at the Takuapa Bus Station yesterday, according to initial reports.

The youth, a native of Kuraburi District in Phang Nga, agreed to take part in the contract killing for 50,000 baht in payment from a business partner of the victim, also reportedly an Italian, police said.

Is it really important that the poor guy sat on a rented motorbike?

Insane, the guy obviously made more money and the other Italian got rid of him. 50,000 baht is pretty cheap. I hope people won't copy this.Imagine there's no heavennnnnnn.:jap:

[Alexpho]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

[Slip]

^^ And that's the price for a foreigner to put the contract. Imagine how cheap it is for a Thai!

[DP25]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

He could be lying about how much he was paid, if he gets off he could have the rest hidden somewhere. 50k is possible though, I've read about killings for less in the US

[Misterwhisper]

I always have been flabbergasted how cheap it is in this country to have someone "whacked" and even more so how many willing contractors one can find to carry out the job without any scruples. Life has absolutely no value in this realm. And they call themselves Buddhists.

[simon43]

It will be interesting to see how this business partner will actually benefit from the death of Luciano. If they were both shareholders in these businesses, then it does not automatically follow that one shareholder benefits from the death of another, unless they are family/heirs to his shareholding.

no doubt more details will come to light soon

Simon

[newermonkey]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

Actually that is quite an expensive contract, and obviously the work of an amateur, as he got caught !

I know it can be done easily for only 10,000 Baht and usually with no repercussions.

[saintofsilence]

Mr Butti was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night.

Takuapa District Police Inspector Wannarat Mahachode and his team of investigators arrested 23-year-old Rachanon Saowaree at the Takuapa Bus Station yesterday, according to initial reports.

The youth, a native of Kuraburi District in Phang Nga, agreed to take part in the contract killing for 50,000 baht in payment from a business partner of the victim, also reportedly an Italian, police said.

Is it really important that the poor guy sat on a rented motorbike?

Insane, the guy obviously made more money and the other Italian got rid of him. 50,000 baht is pretty cheap. I hope people won't copy this.Imagine there's no heavennnnnnn.:jap:

Looking at some other media reports in phuket it was 150k and 7 people involved.

Edited March 19, 2011 by saintofsilence

[ib1b4]

Whoooo, no I think iam safe ? certainly not making ny money here, or anywhere else for that matter. on a serious note my deepest sympathy for the family & friends on this sad passing .

[inmysights]

^^ And that's the price for a foreigner to put the contract. Imagine how cheap it is for a Thai!

50,000 is expensive. 10,000 was the going rate just a couple of years ago.

However, a farang would cost much more, BUT he wouldn't get caught so soon after AND he wouldn't grass you up.

[MegaRanter]

Trigger man is a civil servant?

could be a road sweeper or bureau of census and statistics or the last but not the least from 'protect and serve' department.

May be the guy who he entrusted his cash to, from which he would have settled his divorce, found out that he has spent most of it and cant provide him with 12M the next day, decided to make him not attend the final divorce hearing.

[inmysights]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

Actually that is quite an expensive contract, and obviously the work of an amateur, as he got caught !

I know it can be done easily for only 10,000 Baht and usually with no repercussions.

Aw! You got in before me

Edited March 19, 2011 by inmysights

[EyesWideOpen]

I will be curious to see the futher refinement of the phrase " civil servant" triggerman......:-)

[TheWalkingMan]

From elsewhere. 150k, split 6 ways... 25k a piece.

This summary from elsewhere. Apparently the guy who confessed was a long time manager of 3 business the victim was partner in on Phi Phi.

As with most murders, it is always someone you know.

TheWalkingMan

[Acharn]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

Actually that is quite an expensive contract, and obviously the work of an amateur, as he got caught !

I know it can be done easily for only 10,000 Baht and usually with no repercussions.

Hmmm. Sure about "no repercussions"? Bearing in mind that people willing to commit murder are probably not very nice people, I would think you would be laying yourself open to future blackmail or, maybe more likely, extortion. Granted there is honor among SOME thieves, the stakes would have to be pretty high to overcome the possibility. I agree with you, though, about the price.

[Phatcharanan]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

I know it can be done easily for only 10,000 Baht and usually with no repercussions.

Sure.

Of course you do.

[Phatcharanan]

50,000 is expensive. 10,000 was the going rate just a couple of years ago.

However, a farang would cost much more, BUT he wouldn't get caught so soon after AND he wouldn't grass you up.

Awwww jeeez. All the so-called in the know foreigners who know people who know people etc etc etc.

Grow up.

USA mafia being brought to its knee's by 'grasses'.

[Mugg]

I always have been flabbergasted how cheap it is in this country to have someone "whacked" and even more so how many willing contractors one can find to carry out the job without any scruples. Life has absolutely no value in this realm. And they call themselves Buddhists.

Here is a great bargain also.., or value ..

Professional killers are charging £10,000 a "hit", although members of drug gangs will murder for as little as £200, according to Detective Chief Superintendent John Coles, head of the Metropolitan Police's... Buddhist ?

[george]

UPDATE:

Phuket Butti murder: Italian business partner charged, hitman still at large

Denis Kavatassi stands accused of masterminding the assassination.

Photo: Yodsak Jarana

MASTER PLAN: The police road map to murder, showing who they believe is in

involved in the murder and the roles they played. Photo: Yodsak Jarana

PHUKET: -- Police have arrested the alleged Italian “mastermind” and three others in connection with the shooting murder of resort owner Luciano Butti, 61.

Mr Butti, also Italian, was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night.

Phuket Provincial Police Region 8 Commissioner Lt Gen Kokiat Wongvorachart presented the four suspects at a press conference at Phuket Provincial Police headquarters this morning.

The suspects were named as Denis Kavatassi, from Italy; Somprasong Yongkit, from Krabi; and Ratchanon Sawaree and Somchai Klasuk, both from Phang Nga.

The alleged trigger man, Suchart Nimla-or, and his younger brother, Ekkachai, along with Ponwat Jongrak all remain at large.

Police are now searching for the trio for arrest in connection with the murder.

Kavatassi was a partner with Mr Butti in several business ventures on Phi Phi Don, including Italiano Restaurant and Bar and Ciao Bella restaurant.

The arrests came after police discovered that the last phone call made to Mr Butti before he was murdered came from Somprasong, who was a manager at one of Butti’s restaurants on Phi Phi.

Somprasong caved in to pressure after being brought in to Thalang Police Station for questioning and confessed that Mr Kavatassi had paid him to hire a “hit squad” to take out Mr Butti, Lt Gen Kokiet said.

Mr Butti had cheated Kavatassi out of “seven or eight million baht”, which angered him, Somprasong told police.

Somprasong phoned Mr Butti on Tuesday and invited him to a meeting at a restaurant in Pa Khlok.

He lured him to the secluded area by telling him that he wanted to discuss the business problems between the two Italians and that he sided with Mr Butti and would help him in the matter, police said.

Mr Butti was in Phuket for a brief stay and was scheduled to appear in court in a divorce case on Wednesday.

After meeting at the restaurant, Mr Butti drove his motorbike back toward Phuket Town as the hitmen assembled and followed the Italian.

Somprasong, driving a white sedan, identified the “mark” to Ratchanon and Ponwat on one motocycle, Somchai on another, and Suchart and Ekkachai on yet another.

The gang closed in and Suchart allegedly shot Mr Butti four times, killing him.

It was initially reported that the trigger-man was a “civil servant” based in Yala, in Thailand’s troubled Deep South region.

Three of the four arrested have confessed to their involvement.

Kavatassi is maintaining his innocence.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-03-19

[sangfroid]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

Actually that is quite an expensive contract, and obviously the work of an amateur, as he got caught !

I know it can be done easily for only 10,000 Baht and usually with no repercussions.

That is correct. In Chonburi, hit man "hub" of Thailand 10K would get a job done a few years back. I would think it's more like 20 or 25K nowadays.

[jimbeam1]

I always have been flabbergasted how cheap it is in this country to have someone "whacked" and even more so how many willing contractors one can find to carry out the job without any scruples. Life has absolutely no value in this realm. And they call themselves Buddhists.

Ah yes, but when you pay peanuts all you get is Monkeys.

jb1

[blabla1]

Problem is,that many (not all) people who live here for too long,.lose touch with reality and get caught up in the local krap and start acting like krap and finally, become krap...such a waste of life yet again, at least ,we can't blame the Thais fully ,this time!

[Mugg]

UPDATE:

Phuket Butti murder: Italian business partner charged, hitman still at large

PHUKET: -- Police have arrested the alleged Italian "mastermind" and three others in connection with the shooting murder of resort owner Luciano Butti, 61.

Mr Butti, also Italian, was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night.

Phuket Provincial Police Region 8 Commissioner Lt Gen Kokiat Wongvorachart presented the four suspects at a press conference at Phuket Provincial Police headquarters this morning.

The suspects were named as Denis Kavatassi, from Italy; Somprasong Yongkit, from Krabi; and Ratchanon Sawaree and Somchai Klasuk, both from Phang Nga.

The alleged trigger man, Suchart Nimla-or, and his younger brother, Ekkachai, along with Ponwat Jongrak all remain at large.

Police are now searching for the trio for arrest in connection with the murder.

Kavatassi was a partner with Mr Butti in several business ventures on Phi Phi Don, including Italiano Restaurant and Bar and Ciao Bella restaurant.

The arrests came after police discovered that the last phone call made to Mr Butti before he was murdered came from Somprasong, who was a manager at one of Butti's restaurants on Phi Phi.

Somprasong caved in to pressure after being brought in to Thalang Police Station for questioning and confessed that Mr Kavatassi had paid him to hire a "hit squad" to take out Mr Butti, Lt Gen Kokiet said.

Mr Butti had cheated Kavatassi out of "seven or eight million baht", which angered him, Somprasong told police.

Somprasong phoned Mr Butti on Tuesday and invited him to a meeting at a restaurant in Pa Khlok.

He lured him to the secluded area by telling him that he wanted to discuss the business problems between the two Italians and that he sided with Mr Butti and would help him in the matter, police said.

Mr Butti was in Phuket for a brief stay and was scheduled to appear in court in a divorce case on Wednesday.

After meeting at the restaurant, Mr Butti drove his motorbike back toward Phuket Town as the hitmen assembled and followed the Italian.

Somprasong, driving a white sedan, identified the "mark" to Ratchanon and Ponwat on one motocycle, Somchai on another, and Suchart and Ekkachai on yet another.

The gang closed in and Suchart allegedly shot Mr Butti four times, killing him.

It was initially reported that the trigger-man was a "civil servant" based in Yala, in Thailand's troubled Deep South region.

Three of the four arrested have confessed to their involvement.

Kavatassi is maintaining his innocence.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-03-19

I am just slightly impressed with the Phuket's Finest.... One of the apprehended is singing like mocking bird.... Hey Bravo all the same..

Thanks for the great find on your part also George... Too many facts for this forum, way more fun making up shit..

[Mugg]

USA mafia being brought to its knee's by 'grasses'.

What does this term mean "GRASSES" ? I get the USA part, this what we put in postings before we BASH here, but the "Grass" I am afraid is not a term I know...

[DP25]

USA mafia being brought to its knee's by 'grasses'.

What does this term mean "GRASSES" ? I get the USA part, this what we put in postings before we BASH here, but the "Grass" I am afraid is not a term I know...

A grass is a snitch, someone who talks to the cops

[Estrada]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

He could be lying about how much he was paid, if he gets off he could have the rest hidden somewhere. 50k is possible though, I've read about killings for less in the US

The going rate used to be B30,000 to kill a foreigner. Must be inflation. Be sure that B50,000 is very likely the true figure and be careful not to invite a situation such as this, life is cheap here.

[OZinBKK]

Wow, 50,000 baht is all to have someone wacked??

He'd be kicking himself when he found out in the newspapers that the guy had 22,000 in his pocket.

It's funny if they were that desperate for money there is so many better criminal activities available.

Why not just hold him up take his money, watch, phone and motorbike and then leave him there. Reckon they enjoyed the idea of being hitmen?

[ryladie99]

^^ And that's the price for a foreigner to put the contract. Imagine how cheap it is for a Thai!

When I was young I I overheard my father and his buddies were talking about the tobacco manufacture owner who had a contract to get rid of his rival. The price was as cheap as10 cents per case.

Now you know the rest of my story....