Japanese Tourist Shot Dead In Chiang Rai By Thai Tour Guide

[webfact]

Thai Tour Guide Shot Dead Japanese Tourist

A Thai tour guide surrendered himself to the police confessing that he had shot dead one Japanese tourist and wounded another, after a heated argument during the trekking in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand.

On 26th April, 2011 the tour guide, Apichart Inphisak, 41, turned himself in to the police and admitted to the crime that he had committed earlier at 10 a.m.

Mr. Inphisak guided two Japanese tourists, Hiromichi Nagano, 59 and Takushi Condo, 43, to Chiang Rai mountainous area, visiting the Lisu people, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group.

Takushi was constantly complaining and cursing especially about the tour while travelling in the green Suzuki jeep, Mr. Inshisak said.

Even when they were trekking in the woods, the complaining continued, he added.

When Mr. Inshisak could not tolerate the criticism any longer, he started his verbal retaliation which subsequently instigated an intense argument between the guide and tourists.

Full story and pictures HERE

-- Pattaya Daily News 2010-04-27

[webfact]

Japanese 'gangster' shot dead in Thailand: police

BANGKOK, April 27, 2011 (AFP) - A Japanese alleged yakuza gangster was shot dead in northern Thailand by a local tourist guide in suspicious circumstances, Thai police said Wednesday.

The 44-year-old was shot twice in the head and torso in a mountainous area 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the city of Chiang Rai late Tuesday, Major General Adis Ngamchitsuksri, commander of the Thai Tourist Police, told AFP.

Adis said a Thai tourist guide named as Apichart Inthisak, 41, had surrendered and confessed to shooting the man, saying they had quarrelled during a trip to see hilltribes in the area.

"But police are not fully convinced of the motive given by the suspect. We think that there may be another motive behind this killing," he added.

A second 59-year-old Japanese man sustained serious injuries from gunshot wounds.

Apichart, a native of Chiang Rai, told police that the two Japanese were upset that he was one hour late to pick up them up from their guesthouse.

He said they later argued and a gunfight ensued.

"The suspect said he had to carry a gun to protect tourists," Adis said.

Adis said he was told by the Japanese embassy in Bangkok that the victim was a prominent yakuza gangster in Tokyo linked to the Yamaguchi-gumi organisation. The embassy did not confirm that information when contacted by AFP.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-04-27

[Nordlys]

This news was all over Japanese media since yesterday, but none of it said the victim was a yakuza.

[harleyclarkey]

Nice one...he sure picked the wrong guy to murder.

Was the guide registered? probably not and there are plenty more like him who buy an "official guide" badge and ID and set off on their merry ways to cause mayhem.

What often amazes me with serious crime in Thailand is that the perpetrators don't give a thought to the years they will spend in a hell hole. Seems this is no deterrent for them.

Edited April 27, 2011 by harleyclarkey

[ukrules]

This news was all over Japanese media since yesterday, but none of it said the victim was a yakuza.

They had guns on them and $10,000 in cash. This Takushi guy is also meant to be the leader of the third largest 'gang' in Japan according to the article.

I wonder what their real reason was for going into the Jungle.

If what's said in the article he should be released without charge as it's a case of self defence.

[EarthAlien]

Seems there may be a bit more to this story.

Anyhow,... if the victim is in fact a member of the Yakuza then his killer might well be advised to skip country or quietly vanish (if he can make bail) and lay low as I expect they'd be all over this one.

Note to self: Don't argue with tour guides on remote trekking tours!

[prakhonchai nick]

Perhaps if the tour guide had been on time instead of 1 hour late, this shooting would not have occurred.

I'm sure we have all been angry on many occasions due to the Thais lack of time-keeping.

[reason1]

Re: Note to self: Don't argue with tour guides on remote trekking tours!

Note to always winging: Please go trekking

[theanimaster]

Sweet Justice served. I hope the poor tour guide doesn't get shit for this. If the reports are true, it ~IS~ self-defense. I mean c'mon... How many tour guides shoot their hosts dead in this country?

But the dead dong being "Yakuza"... Someone's gonna want retaliation...

[vahack]

lots of holes in this story. u gotta love Internet journalism.

[pepi2005]

Everyone who has a bit understanding of 'Thainess' has to understand that … I mean: what else could the 'jai dee' Thai tourist guide do than to shoot his customer if this 'kinook' tourist complains all the time?!?

After all, he has to be happy that he was allowed to enter the great country of Thailand and spend his money in it, although I have a hunch he didn't spend enough because he is so 'kinyaou'. I am not even sure if he accepted to officially pay 5 times the price Thais have to pay to be allowed to cross entrance of the area, did he at least have 'face' enough to swallow that without complaining??

All in all, another great promotion of the friendliness and warmth tourists are greeted with in Thailand and by Thais in the tourist business. Behave, swallow and pay - then you get a nice wai. Complain, criticize or negotiate too hard - you might get a punch in your face, have to pay an enourmous amount of money to pay someone off or might even get shot.

Edited April 27, 2011 by pepi2005

[zthyadat]

This news was all over Japanese media since yesterday, but none of it said the victim was a yakuza.

No, they wouldn't do that - too much face to lose.

I once saw a story in the Daily Yomiuri about an Iranian drug gang that had been apprehended - street thugs who sold small packets to punters. The story went into great detail about the hiding places of the drugs and how the transactions went down. In pretty much every sentence, instead of using the men's names or just referring to them as "dealers", as would be normal journalistic practice, they were "the Iranians" - about nine or ten times in a story 20 lines long. The kicker was at the end with a single short sentence: "The Iranians said they bought the drugs from a Japanese crime syndicate."

No question in the journalist's mind who the real criminals were here....

[bkk_mike]

The $10K can possibly be explained by them being Japanese.

Japanese will, like Germans, carry large amounts of cash rather than use a credit card.

(credit cards aren't as readily used in Japan... which is why Japanese banks have high daily ATM limits. I remember when Citibank in Japan had a DAILY limit for withdrawals from ATMs of US$15K.)

[Credo]

I am always amazed and how quickly the police can find incriminating information on the VICTIM of a crime. Usually they couldn't find an elephant in Volkswagen. Sadly, the dead guy can't tell his side of the story.

[SanSaiExPat]

This comes on the heals of the Thai Government offering "long stay" visa's to th Japs. Maybe these guys were just refugees from the earthquake. Ya think?

[harrry]

Another shot in the head for Thai tourism.

[johncat1]

I love the way everybody poses for photos here in Thailand I am surprised they did not sit the dead victim in a chair so he could have his photo taken too.

In the West the police do everything they can to protect the criminals Identity.

Happy family snaps are definitely a no no

[Steely Dan]

So the tour guide had the gun in order to 'defend tourists'! Is that normal practice for tour guides I wonder? As for the deceased being yakuza, I'd love to know how that conclusion was arrived at, perhaps he wrote it on his arrival/departure card under occupation.

[sirchai]

Seems there may be a bit more to this story.

Anyhow,... if the victim is in fact a member of the Yakuza then his killer might well be advised to skip country or quietly vanish (if he can make bail) and lay low as I expect they'd be all over this one.

Note to self: Don't argue with tour guides on remote trekking tours!

Even when they were trekking in the woods, the complaining continued, he added.

Enough to kill somebody indeed..................:jap:

[kiwikeith]

something very sashimi fishy going wrong here 10k a gun holster ,guns not the normal trekking pack stuff here (gps and chocolate bars ect) seen one of the cops in the pic he"s on the bus check points a lot going up to masai seen him on visa runs. So whats it all about?could be a contracted hit even or a deal gone wrong funny that one of the japs was wearing a gun on the trekk??? for shooting birds maybe? very strange but a drug encounter of some degree more likely maybe more will come out soon interesting.Self defence is plausable at this stage maybe when the wounded man tlaks if he talks we might find out. I didn't know you could pack iron on trekking tours unless your afraid the tour guides a loose canon.

[biloutte]

waow dangerous to complain with tourist guide sade for all

[Tokay]

If the guy was really Yakuza, I have a feeling this is going to end badly for a few Thai people.

[Tokay]

something very sashimi fishy going wrong here 10k a gun holster ,guns not the normal trekking pack stuff here (gps and chocolate bars ect) seen one of the cops in the pic he"s on the bus check points a lot going up to masai seen him on visa runs. So whats it all about?could be a contracted hit even or a deal gone wrong funny that one of the japs was wearing a gun on the trekk??? for shooting birds maybe? very strange but a drug encounter of some degree more likely maybe more will come out soon interesting.Self defence is plausable at this stage maybe when the wounded man tlaks if he talks we might find out. I didn't know you could pack iron on trekking tours unless your afraid the tour guides a loose canon.

One word comes to mind... opium. Lots of it.

[aussimike]

So the tour guide had the gun in order to 'defend tourists'! Is that normal practice for tour guides I wonder? As for the deceased being yakuza, I'd love to know how that conclusion was arrived at, perhaps he wrote it on his arrival/departure card under occupation.

i wonder if it was because his body was covered in tats which is a sure give away that he is yakuza member --- u need to watch more american police movies haha

[bangkokrick]

Don't like guns at all, but to be fair to the tour guide he was shot at first and the he retaliated. I think under Thai law and him being a Thai that he will get away with this one.

You could argue that the Japanese guys were carrying unlicensed fire arms in Thailand. Whereas the tour guide might have had a firearms license because it can be a bit dodgy in some of the trekking areas. It would be good to get some more information on this, but I doubt that we ever will.

Cheers, Rick

[softgeorge]

So the moral of the story is don't complain to your tour guide just smile and act like you are enjoying yourself. Complaint resolution Thai style.

[EyesWideOpen]

Amazing Thailand. The tourist is complaining a lot , so it is ok to shoot him. Shows the arrogance of Thais, that they think they can shoot someone and get away with it. However in this case, a bit of bad luck that the guy was Yakuza..... :-) My advice to this guy would be to shave his head, change his name, go to a far away temple, and become a monk for about 10 years. Also his family should do the same thing.......As Tokay said, this is not going to go down well for this guy....

So a bit of advice for other tour guides. If you see a Japanese tourist covered in tattoos, and if he is missing a little finger, be very polite to him.....

[Derifo]

A silly excuse for killing someone. But how can they prove the guy was yakuza?

[Arkady]

Don't like guns at all, but to be fair to the tour guide he was shot at first and the he retaliated. I think under Thai law and him being a Thai that he will get away with this one.

You could argue that the Japanese guys were carrying unlicensed fire arms in Thailand. Whereas the tour guide might have had a firearms license because it can be a bit dodgy in some of the trekking areas. It would be good to get some more information on this, but I doubt that we ever will.

Cheers, Rick

It's possible that the guide had a licensed gun but extremely unlikely he a license to carry it in public. Those are now extremely difficult to obtain and would certainly not be approved for a lowly tour guide with a pittance or even nil as declared income. The penalties for carrying a licensed gun in public without a carry license are the same as for carrying an unlicensed gun.

[ukrules]

It's possible that the guide had a licensed gun but extremely unlikely he a license to carry it in public. Those are now extremely difficult to obtain and would certainly not be approved for a lowly tour guide with a pittance or even nil as declared income. The penalties for carrying a licensed gun in public without a carry license are the same as for carrying an unlicensed gun.

What are the penalties then, a 500 Baht fine ?