Phuket Breaking News: Karaoke owner gunned down in Karon

PHUKET: -- A karaoke owner in Karon was shot at close range by gunmen this morning after a night of drinking on Phuket’s west coast, the island's primary destination for tourists.

Sompong Saenim was drinking with five men at his karaoke bar and restaurant on Patak Road when at about 7:30am two of the group pulled out guns and fired about three shots, Karon Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Winai Chichiew told the Phuket Gazette.

The victim was shot once in the shoulder and once in the rear end, and is in “safe” condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital, Kamnan Winai said.

He is at the moment undergoing surgery to remove the bullets.

Two of the suspects were arrested at about three hours ago when family members of the victim tracked the two men to a house in Chalong.

The men are being questioned at Chalong Police Station.

The other three suspects remain at large.

Police have not released names of the suspects as the investigation is in its initial stages, Kamnan Winai said.

The Kon Lar Fun Karaoke and Restaurant, where the shooting occurred, is located on Patak Road in the popular tourist area between Kata Beach and Karon Circle.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-06-06

Guess what, they came from Nakhon Sri Tamarrat.

Phuket police hunt shooter of karaoke bar owner

PHUKET: -- Chalong Police are investigating whether the shooting on Monday of a karaoke bar owner in Karon, on Phuket's west coast, was drug related.

Three arrests have been made and a manhunt for the gunman and two accomplices is underway.

Following a night of drinking with patrons, 42-year-old Somwong “Lui” Saemin was allegedly beaten then shot in the shoulder and abdomen at his venue at about 7am.

Police arrested three suspects, all from Koh Yao District in Phang Nga, at a house in Chalong the same day.

They were identified as 19-year-old Anusak “Darid” Kungthong; Surasak “Sak” Hankiew, 21; and Weerasak “Dam” Longrak, 20.

All three tested positive for drugs, but insisted they were not involved in the attempted murder, police said.

They claimed to be sleeping in a car belonging to 39-year-old Wirat Sawatdee at the time of the shooting.

Wirat and two other men, 37-year-old Surachai “Bang Chai” Thongkongmai of Nakhon Sri Thammarat and another man identified only as “Bang Pu”, were in the karaoke bar at the time, the three said.

The suspects told police they accompanied Surachai and Wirat to the karaoke in Wirat’s car at about midnight. “Bang Pu” arrived separately by motorcycle.

The trio knew the purpose of the visit was to collect money, but they did not realize that Surachai was planning to shoot Somwong, they told police.

Police are seeking Wirat and Bang Pu for questioning and expect the court to issue an arrest warrant for the alleged gunman, Surachai, in the next few days.

Three bullet casings were collected at the scene of the shooting as evidence, but the owner of a nearby tailor shop told police he heard four shots fired.

Police plan to question Mr Somwong more thoroughly when he recovers from surgery, said Chalong Police Investigator Jarun Bangprasert.

“We found a gun and eight packages of ya ice [crystal methamphetamine] at Surachai’s house in Wichit,” Lt Col Jarun said.

Investigators think the attack was related to the drug trade, he added.

If the shooting was related to a drug deal gone wrong, it will be the second such case in Phuket in the past two weeks.

Last week two people were executed and their bodies thrown off a cliff near Nai Thon Beach.

A third man who survived the ordeal by “playing dead” managed to identify two of the assailants, who have since confessed to their roles in the slaughter.

At last report six other suspects remained at-large.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-06-09

The victim was shot once in the shoulder and once in the rear end, and is in “safe” condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital, Kamnan Winai said.

Honestly, who writes this stuff...

troll post removed, read the post

Police arrested three suspects, all from Koh Yao District in Phang Nga, at a house in Chalong the same day.

They were identified as 19-year-old Anusak “Darid” Kungthong; Surasak “Sak” Hankiew, 21; and Weerasak “Dam” Longrak, 20.

Phuket Breaking News: Karaoke owner gunned down in Karon

When I read the headline I thought someone had been killed as that is what gunned down usually means. It turns out he was shot in the rear... Another fine piece of 'journalism."