Swedish Slashers Confess To Phuket Police

[webfact]

Swedish slashers confess to Phuket police

Police said both Ljung (left) and Soderlund confessed to their

involvement in the murder.

PHUKET: -- Phuket City Police charged two Swedish men they say confessed to the murder yesterday of 25-year-old Maksim Schantz.

Police said they caught Tommy Viktor Soderlund, 26, and Johan Sebastian Ljung, 25, hiding out at Surin Sweet Hotel on Surin Beach where they had recently rented a room.

The pair confessed that they tracked Mr Schantz down through Facebook because they were angry with him for informing tourist police of a scam they were operating from an internet cafe in Pattaya, according to police.

Soderlund was arrested in connection with that incident, while Ljung managed to avoid getting caught, police said.

The swindling Swedes found out that Mr Schantz had moved to Phuket, and three weeks ago the duo followed and eventually rented a house across from Mr Schantz’s home in The Lantern housing development in Koh Kaew.

In preparation for their attack, the pair packed a knife, a gun and a plastic band for tying their victim’s wrists, police said.

Soderlund and Ljung tried to force Mr Schantz back into his home to carry out their plan, but the victim put up a fight.

That’s when Ljung plunged a knife into Mr Schantz’s neck, killing him, police said.

The pair then made their escape, eventually climbing a concrete wall, breaking through a wooden fence on top of it and stealing a motorbike from Pissanu Nuithong, who was riding it at the time.

Immediately after the murder, Soderlund and Ljung went to the Anda Place hotel in Thalang where they had already rented a room. They then ditched the motorbike and moved on to the Surin Sweet Hotel.

Among the evidence collected at the hotel were Ljung’s blood-soaked shirt and a knife in the swimming pool behind their room, Phuket Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said.

Police have yet to find the duo’s gun, he added.

Both suspects told police that they did not intend to kill Mr Schantz and that it was an accident, Maj Gen Pekad said.

Maj Gen Pekad said he was impressed that the investigating team managed to apprehend their suspects within 24 hours of the crime.

Maj Nackaphan Photha, an investigations officer with the Tourist Police, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the February “call center gang” arrests in Pattaya were based on information provided to police by Mr Schantz.

Mr Schantz used to work with the gang, but later went out on his own, Maj Nackaphan said.

“Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn’t catch Johan. We charged them for working without permits, but nothing else because there are no laws against cheating people through phone calls like they did,” Maj Nackaphan said.

The gang has been based in Pattaya for years, selling products via their website, but many “customers” received either low-quality items or nothing at all, he added.

Ljung and Soderlund have been charged with murder, police said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-08-03

related topic:

Swedish Expat Murdered At Luxury Villa In Phuket

[cloudhopper]

Must be easy for foreigners to get a gun in Phuket.

.

Edited August 3, 2011 by george
spelling

[benb]

Must be easy for foreigners to get a gun in Phuket.

..not just in Phuket.. ;-)

[steelepulse]

Good job by the BIB. If only they were this diligent more than 10% of the time there would be a lot less unsolved crimes.

[softgeorge]

So it was nothing to do with a love triangle, purely murder because he reported thier criminal activity. A complete waiste of life for purely acting like any decent citizen. I hope these two get life in a dirty cockroach/rat infested prison.

[hellodolly]

Good job by the BIB. If only they were this diligent more than 10% of the time there would be a lot less unsolved crimes.

Just couldn't miss a chance to bash could you.

[Traxster]

“Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn’t catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

[PaulHamon]

A complete waiste of life for purely acting like any decent citizen.

"Mr Schantz used to work with the gang, but later went out on his own"

He was in on it. How do you get Decent Citizen out of it.

[Wallaby]

I hope they get a very long stay in a nice shoe box, at best.

[cdnvic]

Some people are still carrying on silly arguments from the original thread. These will be removed without further notice. Please stick to discussing the story.

[TechnikaIII]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

That they have referred to them by their first names, does not mean they are "on first name terms" with them.You really want to make the police look bad.

I will say, from what we now know, there was obviously some pretty good police work done to apprehend these two so quickly. And that all three are off them streets, these two and the dead one.

If Tommy and Johan were sentenced in Norway, they'd maybe get 21 years max in a very comfortable 'prison', but walk in half that time or less, for being good little boys and eating their dinner without making a mess. I'd say these guys will be away for the long haul, in a real prison. .. well, let's hope.

Edited August 3, 2011 by TechnikaIII

[EJW]

So it was nothing to do with a love triangle, purely murder because he reported thier criminal activity. A complete waiste of life for purely acting like any decent citizen. I hope these two get life in a dirty cockroach/rat infested prison.

I don't think the murdered man (Maksim Schantz) was such a "decent citizen"--he was alleged to have been running a scam with fake invoices in Sweden, pretending to be a company he wasn't. This was just a few months ago. Who knows what Schantz's true motives were. Maybe he wanted to get rid of the competition.

[asdecas]

All three of them sound like losers; the outcome is predictable enough, but a pity that their stupidity had to end this way.

[Jirapa]

So it was nothing to do with a love triangle, purely murder because he reported thier criminal activity. A complete waiste of life for purely acting like any decent citizen. I hope these two get life in a dirty cockroach/rat infested prison.

I don't think ramming a knife into someones neck is going to stand up very well as an "accident" in court????

[softgeorge]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

It is a normal Thai/Asian thing when they refer to any farang it is normally Mr Steve, Mr George etc, They very rarely call you Mr Jones , Mr Smith.

[OzMick]

If they write a book about this, its title will be "A Tale of 3 Idiots" !

Idiot #1 dobs in his ex-mates, goes into hiding, and then puts his new location on facebook

Idiot #2 rents a room opposite using his own passport. Within minutes BIB knows their prime suspect.

Idiot #3 rents a room, then disposes of his knife and blood-soaked shirt by throwing them in the swimming pool.

My dog is smarter than this lot.

[featography]

Good job by the BIB. If only they were this diligent more than 10% of the time there would be a lot less unsolved crimes.

"We charged them for working without permits, but nothing else because there are no laws against cheating people through phone calls like they did,” Maj Nackaphan said.""

Oh Really?

Amusing Thailand

[dmcguire70]

I'm very sorry your honor ,but i accidently plunged the knife into his jugular vain- Honest i did!!

Edited August 3, 2011 by dmcguire70

[falangjim]

Glad the Thai police got this scum off the streets of Phuket. These kids look like a couple of dolts. Love that blonde a-hole's expression. He knows he's gonna find a nice boyfriend in prison. Pathetic losers. Send these punks to the Bangkok Hilton for the rest of their lives with no extradition. RIP to Mr. Schantz. The man does a bit of civic duty calling out scam artists and what does he get? Rest in peace.

[cdnvic]

As I said earlier, stop the arguments about the last topic. The story contained errors that have now hopefully been corrected, and people said things based on wrong information. Now move on, I'm getting sick of people derailing the topic because they can't read the very clear warnings given.

8 posts removed, and no further warnings given.

[bullonparade]

I was following the first thread where people were bashing "the evil thai's" when the news broke about a murder......that thread looks really stupid now.

[ingvar]

Although they carry Swedish passports all of them (it is fairly easy to get citizenship in Sweden) they look more Russian to me from the Picture.

Considering the murdered guy was Russian from Birth one could speculate about where their real connections lay.

[dmcguire70]

Although they carry Swedish passports all of them (it is fairly easy to get citizenship in Sweden) they look more Russian to me from the Picture.

Considering the murdered guy was Russian from Birth one could speculate about where their real connections lay.

Well they may look Russian but their surnames are Swedish ,unless of course they changed them as well. I'm sure there are low life scum that come from Sweden ,that are are attracted to places like Pattaya like flies to a fresh dog turd.

[hyperdimension]

The gang has been based in Pattaya for years, selling products via their website, but many “customers” received either low-quality items or nothing at all, he added.

Does anyone have a link to their web site?

[ingvar]

The only Swedish name in the lot is Soderlund, Smidth and Ljung do exist as Surnames in Russia. Anyway it is very easy to change names in Sweden too, specially if you marry a Swedish girl you can elect to take her name.

[euroflash]

All three are useless scum. As for these two, I hope they won't get extradited to a "hotel room" jail back in lovely SE.

And when are the laws going to get tougher on call center guys? I'm sure the other Swedes and Norwegians who got caught back then in Pattaya are back at it again.

[ArcherBKK]

A kid pretty much died for nothing, No matter what he's involved in nobody deserves such fate. RIP and condolences....

[RedNIvar]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

I would think in the press conf, they would have had trouble pronouncing, Soderlund and Ljung. Would be kind of a tongue twister for the BIB and make them look foolish on one of the few efficient busts they have made.

[webfact]

in Thailand a person is addressed by their first name, unlike in the West

[prakhonchai nick]

The death penalty would not go amiss in this case.

An "eye for an eye"!