Police nab hit team suspect, hunt gunman in Suban killing

By The Nation

Police have arrested a man suspected of being part of a five-member hit team that gunned down Bhum Jai Thai canvasser Suban Jiraphanwanich in Bangkok last week.

Police sources said the unnamed man was possibly in charge of helping the trigger man escape after shooting at Suban, his wife and a female aide. The gunman fled the scene in Khao San Road on the pillion seat of a motorcycle.

Apart from the gunman, the five-member hit team included a target identifier, a scout, a getaway motorcyclist, and the man in custody who took the gunman out of Bangkok, the sources added.

Sources from the metropolitan police Crime Suppression Division, and detectives from the Regional Police Bureau 1 jointly working on the Suban murder case, have indicated the hit team was associated with what they refer to as "men in uniform." However nobody has yet been implicated as masterminds behind the killing.

The gunman could be a career assassin, possibly based in Lop Buri, where Suban had influence as head of the Provincial Administrative Organisation. In addition to the gunman, all four other members of the hit team could be under protection of the "men in uniform" based in the central province, another source from metropolitan police said.

Pol General Phongsaphat Phongcharoen, head of the police centre handling security during the run-up to the July 3 election, said police now knew the whereabouts of Thongchai Khongprajak, a gunman on a 75-member blacklist, and had set a deadline for him to surrender in the next 24 hours.

"At the end of the deadline, he will face a massive manhunt and eventual capture," he said, adding that Thongchai's absence had not indicated his intent or plan to kill anyone or any candidate.

Kamol, Suban's father, called on former general Panlop Pinmanee to "stop his men from doing anything which may set Lop Buri on fire". He did not elaborate or indicate any links between Panlop and the killing of Suban in his statement, made after a three-hour interview with Lop Buri police.

In the wake of Suban's killing and claims of extensive threats from rival parties, most BJT canvassers now have bullet proof vests and wear them during party rallies. A kamnan in Muang district, Jamras Bunkhlai, said the vest was a primary and affordable measure he was now adopting to protect himself.

Mallika, Suban's sister and a BJT candidate in Lop Buri, said she suspected an Army officer, who showed up during the application of constituency candidates last month, could be linked to the killing. She said this unnamed officer accompanied a rival party member and pointed at Suban in an insulting manner which later led to an altercation between BJT's and the other party's supporters.

"I think the officer, hiding behind the demeaning gesture and by fingering Suban, identified the target to the hit team members - or the gunman - who were among that party's supporters on application day," she added.

-- The Nation 2011-06-22

Pol General Phongsaphat Phongcharoen, head of the police centre handling security during the run-up to the July 3 election, said police now knew the whereabouts of Thongchai Khongprajak, a gunman on a 75-member blacklist, and had set a deadline for him to surrender in the next 24 hours.

"At the end of the deadline, he will face a massive manhunt and eventual capture," he said, adding that Thongchai's absence had not indicated his intent or plan to kill anyone or any candidate.

The police KNOW where a suspected criminal is but will give 24 hours for him to give himself up?! And why do you need a manhunt for someone when you know their whereabouts? Just like a game hide-and-seek! Wheeeeee! 1... 2... 3... 4... ... 24 hours! Alright, here I come!

I really don’t get this, they know where the gun man is, andhe is on the 75 member blacklist. They give him 24 hours to give himselfup????? Or they will have a manhunt???

Murder is a very bad thing in any scenario, but a politicalmurder not only effects the family and friends of the victim it also underminesthe whole political and democratic process within that country.

So are the police politically motivated in this situation orare they just lying? Either way they have proven time and time again that theyare incapable of performing their duties. In my mind their lying is not savingface but it is dumping them right in the Cr@p.

I look forward to the day when the government wakes up and focuses on what is really important for the country and its inhabitants.

Pol General Phongsaphat Phongcharoen, head of the police centre handling security during the run-up to the July 3 election, said police now knew the whereabouts of Thongchai Khongprajak, a gunman on a 75-member blacklist, and had set a deadline for him to surrender in the next 24 hours.

"At the end of the deadline, he will face a massive manhunt and eventual capture," he said, adding that Thongchai's absence had not indicated his intent or plan to kill anyone or any candidate.

The police KNOW where a suspected criminal is but will give 24 hours for him to give himself up?! And why do you need a manhunt for someone when you know their whereabouts? Just like a game hide-and-seek! Wheeeeee! 1... 2... 3... 4... ... 24 hours! Alright, here I come!

I am having a great problem in deciding if this is gross inefficiency, gross stupidity or gross corruption or a mixture of all on behalf of the Police. Top it by announcing he has 24 hours to surrender and it just leave me flabergasted!!!!! The SWAT Squad should have been in before the announcement and this guy should now be under intense questioning with the option of a death penalty or life if he divulges his "paymaster". Perhaps time for the Police General to be transferred to an inactive post?

Sources from the metropolitan police Crime Suppression Division, and detectives from the Regional Police Bureau 1 jointly working on the Suban murder case, have indicated the hit team was associated with what they refer to as "men in uniform." However nobody has yet been implicated as masterminds behind the killing.

Men in black from UDD/PT?

Pol General Phongsaphat Phongcharoen, head of the police centre handling security during the run-up to the July 3 election, said police now knew the whereabouts of Thongchai Khongprajak, a gunman on a 75-member blacklist, and had set a deadline for him to surrender in the next 24 hours.

"At the end of the deadline, he will face a massive manhunt and eventual capture," he said, adding that Thongchai's absence had not indicated his intent or plan to kill anyone or any candidate.

The police KNOW where a suspected criminal is but will give 24 hours for him to give himself up?! And why do you need a manhunt for someone when you know their whereabouts? Just like a game hide-and-seek! Wheeeeee! 1... 2... 3... 4... ... 24 hours! Alright, here I come!

I am having a great problem in deciding if this is gross inefficiency, gross stupidity or gross corruption or a mixture of all on behalf of the Police. Top it by announcing he has 24 hours to surrender and it just leave me flabergasted!!!!! The SWAT Squad should have been in before the announcement and this guy should now be under intense questioning with the option of a death penalty or life if he divulges his "paymaster". Perhaps time for the Police General to be transferred to an inactive post?

I have been led to believe that in Thailand "intense questioning" can mean that the question of whether you continue to breath can be a lot more immediate than the long term. And all it takes is a wet towel.

This guy is a suspected trained, experienced, cold blooded killer, maybe multiple times. Warning in newspaper directed to him should read, "use your resources/contacts and skip the country" that way no one will have egg on their face when he absconds after bail is granted. I doubt this upstanding citizen would leak the names of those who contracted his services.

This guy is a suspected trained, experienced, cold blooded killer, maybe multiple times. Warning in newspaper directed to him should read, "use your resources/contacts and skip the country" that way no one will have egg on their face when he absconds after bail is granted. I doubt this upstanding citizen would leak the names of those who contracted his services.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed might disagree with you.