Labour Government’s Bold Claim to “honesty with voters” Has Unraveled Quickly

[Lite Beer]

Killer of NZ croquet chief nabbed

By Thanasap Noisa-ard,

Supachai Petchtewee

The Nation on Sunday

Syrian ex-commando admits stabbing New Zealander in Jomtien after row

A former Syrian Army commando has been arrested in connection with the murder of Charles Edmund Jones, late president of the World Croquet Federation, in Jones's rented condominium in Chon Buri's Jomtien area on Monday night.

The New Zealander's body was discovered in the condominium with multiple stab wounds on Tuesday.

Provincial Police Region 2 chief Lt-General Thangai Prasajaksatru and Pattaya Police superintendent Col Nanthawut Suwanla-ong yesterday presented the suspect, 21-year-old Mohamad Shanar Ryad, at a press conference along with the victim's notebook, cell phones and wristwatch, which were reportedly stolen, as well as a pocket knife they alleged was the murder weapon.

Ryad reportedly told police he met Jones on August 19 in South Pattaya. He said Jones invited him to smoke marijuana with him in his room and paid him Bt400 to perform oral sex on him. Ryad claimed that on Monday night, Jones invited him to his room again, but the pair got into an argument, during which Jones pulled a knife on him and attempted to sexually assault him. According to police, Ryad admitted to using his pocket knife to stab the victim about 20 times before fleeing with Jones's valuables and hiding at the room of Ryad's Thai girlfriend in Soi Chalermphrakiat 19.

Thangai said police had determined that Ryad came to Thailand as a refugee with the assistance of the United Nations after serving as an army commando in Syria.

He had travelled between Thailand and Malaysia frequently over the past four years and was recently fired from his job as a cook at a Pattaya restaurant before moving in with his girlfriend, Thangai said. Police took the suspect to re-enact the crime at the Jomtien condo yesterday.

In related news, police have arrested an alleged hitman, ranked 16th on their most-wanted list of professional killers, in connection with several murders in Nakhon Sawan. The suspect had evaded police efforts to arrest him and taken a job as a security guard at Suvarnbhumi Airport before quitting work, going into hiding and seeking treatment for gout, they said.

Bundit (also known as Sathit) Tomoung, 53, was arrested while lying low in his hometown in Nakhon Sawan's Chumsaeng district, Pol Colonel Supat Pheungphuang told a press conference at Metropolitan Police Headquarters yesterday.

-- The Nation 2011-08-28

[Soutpeel]

....Only in Pattaya..... , ex-commando's, vice, drugs and political refugees.....Is it me, but does this story sounds too outrageous even for Pattaya ?

I didnt realise Thailand offered refugee status to persons from the middle east

On the related news story....all I can say is WOW..Welcome to Thailand....professional hitmen working as security guards at an international airport...

[Wallaby]

Seems this guy is just saying things to make his crime more 'understandable'.

If someone pulls a knife on me and I kill him I don't think I'll then stick around to rob the place.

[Jellyb3ans]

Yepp... second that about the hitman working at suvarninbhumi airport =|

[chaoyang]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

[mca]

before moving in with his girlfriend

"Darling I'm just popping out to smoke so herb and polish someones pipe for 400 baht.I may or may not stab them to death and steal their valuables.Keep your phone turned on and I'll update you later."

[OzMick]

The time-line in this story is a little confusing.

21 year-old...............here for 4 years.............refugee status, how long was his period of persecution? 1 year?...............Syrian Army commando (2 years training??).

21.............17............16..............14???? The Syrian Army trains 14 year-olds as commandos?? I smell pork pies.

[mca]

The time-line in this story is a little confusing.

21 year-old...............here for 4 years.............refugee status, how long was his period of persecution? 1 year?...............Syrian Army commando (2 years training??).

21.............17............16..............14???? The Syrian Army trains 14 year-olds as commandos?? I smell pork pies.

He was just trying to fit in with all the ex-Navy Seals,MARSOC and SAS guys propping up the bars in Pattaya Chang in hand.

[geriatrickid]

....Only in Pattaya..... , ex-commando's, vice, drugs and political refugees.....Is it me, but does this story sounds too outrageous even for Pattaya ?

I didnt realise Thailand offered refugee status to persons from the middle east

On the related news story....all I can say is WOW..Welcome to Thailand....professional hitmen working as security guards at an international airport...

I don't believe the accused was ever a "commando". Considering his age (21) and the fact that he arricved as a refugee 4 years ago, he most likely would have been a 17 year old conscript that went awol.

In answer to your query as to refugees in Thailand, the UN has quite the business going caring for "refugees". Thailand doesn't pick up the costs.

The ability of this man to get a job at BKK as a security guard lends credence to the concerns made by foreign nations about the reliability of security at the airport. Does anyone want to wager that this fellow didn't have a background check?

This story is going to over like a lead balloon back in NZ.

BTW, will any of the people launching derisive remarks about Thais withdraw their comments now that a fine young Syrian has been identified as the culprit?

[IAMSOBAD]

Will they arrest the jet ski people when they kill a tourist?

NO. Because for some reason the CCTV will be out and all witnesses forgot all they saw. The rules do not get enforced equally.

Maybe the standards to be a BiB or a Security Guard at an international airport include a criminal background?

Looks like 400 baht wasnt such a bargain for the hi-so Kiwi. RIP!!!!!!

[lovetotravel]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

My thoughts exactly.

[OzMick]

The time-line in this story is a little confusing.

21 year-old...............here for 4 years.............refugee status, how long was his period of persecution? 1 year?...............Syrian Army commando (2 years training??).

21.............17............16..............14???? The Syrian Army trains 14 year-olds as commandos?? I smell pork pies.

He was just trying to fit in with all the ex-Navy Seals,MARSOC and SAS guys propping up the bars in Pattaya Chang in hand.

I was wondering if he wears underpants !

[mca]

Had to think about that one for a minute. Maybe amongst certain members of the expat community of Pattaya " going commando " can be confused with " I was a commando"

Come to think of it maybe when they say " I was in Special Forces " they actually mean " Special Needs"

[jackdawson]

did the "valuables" include the dude's mallets and wickets ?

[blackthorn2005]

Is he wearing body armour in the photo, if so why? Who are all the geeks taking photos? Do not appear to be media.

[spidermike007]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

The Thai police are like toy police. They are incompetent to the extreme. I have heard British detectives commenting on work they did as consultants to the Thai police, and how horrible their techniques are, and how inadequate their CSI facilities are. Usually, in a case like this, I just assume they pinned it on someone they had their eyes on anyway. Who is to know? Who cares? Who is going to come to the defense of this guy? I am not saying he deserves defending, but who knows about that either? They could just say he is an ex-commando, and who would question it? With Thailand being rated about 140th, out of 180 countries, on the journalistic freedom chart, would the media question anything the police do? There is a shocking lack of accountability here.

[theanimaster]

OK, the details of the murder just made me f---ing sick. Good thing there was that "...in related news..." at the end of the article to take my attention away from the main headline... omFg...

[newmember]

Is he wearing body armour in the photo, if so why? Who are all the geeks taking photos? Do not appear to be media.

Murder suspects usually wear a bullet proof vest when they are made to re-enact a crime. For their own safety. The 'geeks' taking pics are ex SAS, NavySeals & Mossad who are documenting the procedures for bar stool discussions later.

[asdecas]

"... taken a job as a security guard at Suvarnbhumi Airport before quitting work, going into hiding and seeking treatment for gout..."

You couldn't make this horse manure up! Or rather, you could, but nobody would believe you. Are gouty security guards common at Swampy? I was there yesterday and I could only identify the usual afflictions - sleeping on the job, barking of "you, you", and so on.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Maybe the hitman guy was guarding the airport parking lots...

BTW, that's a story that really deserves its own separate thread..... Can we do that somehow... It doesn't deserve to be a footnote in the NZ thread.

[TechnikaIII]

"In related news, police have arrested an alleged hitman,"

How are these two cases related?

The first, and the subject of the headline, the murder suspect of the New Zealander, is not a Thai, and the only Thais involved in the case are the Police, who have been successful. Not good enough for the Thai bashers here? .. so quickly move on to another story about a Thai hit man?

I take you back to this: Killer of NZ croquet chief nabbed. >> Well done!

Conclusion: Two foreigners, neither of whom were here for the good of Thailand, are now out of circulation.

.....

[scotto]

Well done BIB finally a real case and not a suicide!!!

See all you knockers when they want to do something about a murder they actually can!

Put your hand up if you honestly thought this was going to be another suicide!!

BiB 1 loser 0

well done

[skorchio]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

Exactly. They have a free hand to obtain information by any means, and they will always find out what they need (want) to know. If an investigation hits a dead end, it is because they decided it is going no further. End of.

[Scott]

Off-topic, argumentative post deleted.

Please stay on topic and be civil.

[Steely Dan]

Hmmm, arrived as a refugee eh? I didn't realize that Thailand also gets such cultural enrichment.

[Jingthing]

It seems that my initial suspicion that the murderer was yet another slick violent young not-Thai man stalking local gay tourists and residents may indeed turn out to be true. It still hasn't been mentioned in the press, but it's very probable they met on a popular gay contact website that I won't mention but every local gay person knows very well.

It's interesting that he radically changed his appearance. I would also guess he has victimized other gay men in Thailand, at least for theft.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10747892

Thai murder suspect 'preyed' on gay tourists

Yeatman described him as a "professional thief" who befriended tourists before robbing them, and likened him to the lead character out of the movie The Talented Mr Ripley.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Jingthing

[OzMick]

"In related news, police have arrested an alleged hitman,"

How are these two cases related?

The first, and the subject of the headline, the murder suspect of the New Zealander, is not a Thai, and the only Thais involved in the case are the Police, who have been successful. Not good enough for the Thai bashers here? .. so quickly move on to another story about a Thai hit man?

I take you back to this: Killer of NZ croquet chief nabbed. >> Well done!

Conclusion: Two foreigners, neither of whom were here for the good of Thailand, are now out of circulation.

.....

"........ neither of whom were here for the good of Thailand......." Come, come now! One was here to promote the great international sport of croquet, which ranks 38th in NZ sports - that equates to 12 players, and only 4 are sheep.

[Suradit]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

My thoughts exactly.

I thought in the original thread about this murder the general ThaiVisa farang wisdom was that he was murdered because all Thai people hate farangs and that the Thai police would do nothing about it.

No matter what happens. No matter who is involved. No matter how well it's handled. The sad, pathetic whining/whingeing about how horrible things are in Thailand continues. TV needs to open a forum for Gossipy Old Ladies ( of either sex) to moan endlessly. Maybe the Tsk-Tsk Forum.

I'm just surprised the Thai Police didn't help the media hack the victims phone and then cover up the investigation ... Oh wait, that was the British Police.

[F1fanatic]

Another example that the Thai police can quickly locate and arrest a suspect when they want to -- and the corollary illustration that those who are not found are protected, or the implications are too great a loss of someone's face.

My thoughts exactly.

I thought in the original thread about this murder the general ThaiVisa farang wisdom was that he was murdered because all Thai people hate farangs and that the Thai police would do nothing about it.

No matter what happens. No matter who is involved. No matter how well it's handled. The sad, pathetic whining/whingeing about how horrible things are in Thailand continues. TV needs to open a forum for Gossipy Old Ladies ( of either sex) to moan endlessly. Maybe the Tsk-Tsk Forum.

I'm just surprised the Thai Police didn't help the media hack the victims phone and then cover up the investigation ... Oh wait, that was the British Police.

You're right. There have been no obvious mis-carriages of justice and anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.

I doubt anyone said Thais hate us - they just don't think about us at all unless money is involved.

[Jerry555]

No 16 on the list of most wanted killers and he can still become a security guard working an international airport ..... there's something seriously wrong in this country .