Four Arrested In Deadly Abduction Plot: Bangkok

[webfact]

Four arrested in deadly abduction plot

The Nation

Police have arrested four suspects - two of them architects - for allegedly kidnapping a university freshman, who was a computer game companion for more than three years, and drowning him when the victim's family did not pay the ransom money.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, police said the four suspects had confessed to the crime, which was allegedly committed at the initiative of architect Aphiraphat Sukha-arkhom, 27, who said he demanded Bt2 million to free Piyaphan Thitiaksornsillapa, 19, in the belief he was from a rich family.

During a re-enactment of the crimes, architect Phanuphong Siraphanphanich, one of the suspects, told police the victim had known him and Aphiraphat and they played computer games together for more than three years. The group lured Piyaphan, a Kasetsart University freshman, into coming to play the games at the Imperial Lat Phrao mall on December 16, before holding him captive.

Quoting the suspects, including Paphawin Maiprathum and Natthaphol In-ngern, police said the four blindfolded the victim and drove him to two houses in Bangkok, and made him call his mother, asking her to wire Bt2 million into a bank account, but she did not comply thinking it was a prank.

The victim was handcuffed, blindfolded and his head was covered with a plastic bag during the three days he was held hostage. He later fainted but the suspects thought he had died. The suspects told police that they later brought the body to Prawet district, and threw it into a canal after tying sandbags to the ankles of the deceased. An autopsy performed on the victim's body reported that he was alive before being drowned.

-- The Nation 2012-01-04

[noitom]

It might have been a useful story if the writer had researched enough to let us know how the police solved the crime so easily. It was also noteworthy that the victim's mother didn't "comply" with her son's request to transfer the ransom money. Why did his mother think that a dire call so as this would be a "prank?" What's going on here? This story raises more issues than answers. Look like this "gang who couldn't shoot straight" bunch of architects didn't have a good contingency plan if the ransom wasn't paid.

Another question would be how did the kidnappers hope to get away with it even if it had been transferred into a "bank account?" Who owned the bank account? Why would a mother sign off on a news story quoting her as not believing the truth of her son's dire situation and thus not complying with the demand? What kind of parent would react in this manner, and therefore provoke the crooks into murdering her son? The story states that the victim was alive at the time of drowning with a bag over his head. Quite horrible.

[philw]

What to say................

Awful beyond words.

[whybother]

It might have been a useful story if the writer had researched enough to let us know how the police solved the crime so easily. It was also noteworthy that the victim's mother didn't "comply" with her son's request to transfer the ransom money. Why did his mother think that a dire call so as this would be a "prank?" What's going on here? This story raises more issues than answers. Look like this "gang who couldn't shoot straight" bunch of architects didn't have a good contingency plan if the ransom wasn't paid.

Another question would be how did the kidnappers hope to get away with it even if it had been transferred into a "bank account?" Who owned the bank account? Why would a mother sign off on a news story quoting her as not believing the truth of her son's dire situation and thus not complying with the demand? What kind of parent would react in this manner, and therefore provoke the crooks into murdering her son? The story states that the victim was alive at the time of drowning with a bag over his head. Quite horrible.

Since when do subjects of a news story get to "sign off on it"?

[TomTao]

A terrible way to die, similar to the way my younger brother was murdered in Australia in 1991, brings back some unwanted memories.

[arrowsdawdle]

TIT, all the perps needed to do is show up drunk at the police station, plead mitigating circumstances due to the influence of the alcohol, and they would be all but forgiven, unless of course the victim's family filled the police precinct tip jar and started a bidding war with the perp family that would eventually determine the charges and outcome of the deed, keeping suicide on the table until the closing bid. RIP young man and hope that karma kicks in sooner rather than later because karma is more predictable than justice in LOS.

[ericthai]

It might have been a useful story if the writer had researched enough to let us know how the police solved the crime so easily. It was also noteworthy that the victim's mother didn't "comply" with her son's request to transfer the ransom money. Why did his mother think that a dire call so as this would be a "prank?" What's going on here? This story raises more issues than answers. Look like this "gang who couldn't shoot straight" bunch of architects didn't have a good contingency plan if the ransom wasn't paid.

Another question would be how did the kidnappers hope to get away with it even if it had been transferred into a "bank account?" Who owned the bank account? Why would a mother sign off on a news story quoting her as not believing the truth of her son's dire situation and thus not complying with the demand? What kind of parent would react in this manner, and therefore provoke the crooks into murdering her son? The story states that the victim was alive at the time of drowning with a bag over his head. Quite horrible.

This is a typical news story here in Thailand. Maybe one of these days they will learn how to really report a story, but

I'm not holding my breath. The mother to sign off, where does this happen, stories are written all the time without needing to have permission.

[HerbalEd]

It might have been a useful story if the writer had researched enough to let us know how the police solved the crime so easily. It was also noteworthy that the victim's mother didn't "comply" with her son's request to transfer the ransom money. Why did his mother think that a dire call so as this would be a "prank?" What's going on here? This story raises more issues than answers. Look like this "gang who couldn't shoot straight" bunch of architects didn't have a good contingency plan if the ransom wasn't paid.

Another question would be how did the kidnappers hope to get away with it even if it had been transferred into a "bank account?" Who owned the bank account? Why would a mother sign off on a news story quoting her as not believing the truth of her son's dire situation and thus not complying with the demand? What kind of parent would react in this manner, and therefore provoke the crooks into murdering her son? The story states that the victim was alive at the time of drowning with a bag over his head. Quite horrible.

Most likely they would have killed him even if the ransom was paid. The victim knew his captors and would have told police who they were.

[Gone]

It might have been a useful story if the writer had researched enough to let us know how the police solved the crime so easily. It was also noteworthy that the victim's mother didn't "comply" with her son's request to transfer the ransom money. Why did his mother think that a dire call so as this would be a "prank?" What's going on here? This story raises more issues than answers. Look like this "gang who couldn't shoot straight" bunch of architects didn't have a good contingency plan if the ransom wasn't paid.

Another question would be how did the kidnappers hope to get away with it even if it had been transferred into a "bank account?" Who owned the bank account? Why would a mother sign off on a news story quoting her as not believing the truth of her son's dire situation and thus not complying with the demand? What kind of parent would react in this manner, and therefore provoke the crooks into murdering her son? The story states that the victim was alive at the time of drowning with a bag over his head. Quite horrible.

So if your son went missing and some kids called you the next day telling you to deposit 2 million baht into an account you would do it? Even though you didn't have the money? Wow where do you live mate? haha

[rotary]

Ban computer games I think!

[Tanaka]

They should have abducted Chalerm. Or the pm.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You gotta wonder what's happened to the moral compass of these kinds of folks.... a couple of architects no less, presumably meaning they had some degree of higher education.

Yet holding the victim with a plastic bag over his head??? What did they think was going to happen under that circumstance. That could have been enough alone to kill the guy... Then the victim faints and the genius abductors think he's dead... But he's really not and they drown him alive???

It's one of those kinds of things that just leaves one speechless. Except for that familiar advice... it's never good to have people in Thailand think you have a lot of money... Sure to shorten one's life.

[witsawakorn]

It sounds like a scam gone horribly wrong. The"hostage" may have passed out then drowned after his friends, thinking that he was already dead,,dumped his body in the Khlong. Having said that you would expect that his friends would have tried to revive him before giving him up for dead. The body would have been warm wouldn't it? It all sounds very strange. How about autoerotic asphyxiation? As they have confessed I guess we will never know the truth unless one of them sells his story.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The victim's "friends"????? With friends like that....

[webfact]

CRIME

Kidnap drowning suspects held

The Nation

Four suspects accused of drowning a university freshman after a kidnap plot went wrong were yesterday placed into court custody, the first 12-day detention for all seven.

The Phra Khanong court approved a police recommendation against releasing the four men, on grounds the nature of their alleged crime was hideous and the prospect of a lengthy sentence for kidnap and murder could prompt them to flee.

Police said they had not finished interviewing the seven witnesses while awaiting results of forensic inspection of the crime.

After their arrest on Tuesday, police said architects Aphiraphat Sukha-arkhom and Phanuphong Siraphanphanich, and Paphawin Maiprathum and Natthaphol In-ngern, confessed to kidnapping Kasetsart University freshman Piyaphan Thitiak-sornsillapa and drowning him after his mother failed to pay Bt2 million in |ransom. The woman thought the demand was a prank.

-- The Nation 2012-01-05

[ginjag]

CRIME

Kidnap drowning suspects held

The Nation

Four suspects accused of drowning a university freshman after a kidnap plot went wrong were yesterday placed into court custody, the first 12-day detention for all seven.

The Phra Khanong court approved a police recommendation against releasing the four men, on grounds the nature of their alleged crime was hideous and the prospect of a lengthy sentence for kidnap and murder could prompt them to flee.

Police said they had not finished interviewing the seven witnesses while awaiting results of forensic inspection of the crime.

After their arrest on Tuesday, police said architects Aphiraphat Sukha-arkhom and Phanuphong Siraphanphanich, and Paphawin Maiprathum and Natthaphol In-ngern, confessed to kidnapping Kasetsart University freshman Piyaphan Thitiak-sornsillapa and drowning him after his mother failed to pay Bt2 million in |ransom. The woman thought the demand was a prank.

-- The Nation 2012-01-05

Not much movie star --young look about them--young professionals Ha Ha look like mexican drug thugs, If I was a young freshman I would never have these as friends, mobster style. ugh ugh

[nurofiend]

They should have abducted Chalerm. Or the pm.

did you really need to bring politics into this thread... i suggest not.

[Chopperboy]

Thai youth is getting more and more dangerous. Violence from this age group used to be confined to the technical college underclass fighting with each other - now if they aren't rich they're all angry. Avoid having any contact with them if you can.

[Tanuki]

hey they should be out in around 5 years if they have a good status in prison. I know that you must confess and reinact the crime to get the sentence reduced here but dam_n why must they smile and with absolutely no shame for what they have done its almost like they feel important and that they were doing something smart.

Hey turds you killed a 19 year old boy with his while future ahead of him for $60,000 that you didn't even get. Im not a fan of the death penalty but for f*** sakes surely these idiots wouldn't be missed.

[Briggsy]

It should be noted that the term "architect" is used very loosely in Thailand. Basically anyone who has graduated in "architecture", read: civil engineering, from any zero-quality private university can refer to themselves as an architect. Also anyone who works in the building trade but doesn't get their hands dirty can also be an "architect", read: QS.

In the same way, book-keepers become "accountants", admin assistants become "specialists", legal clerks become "lawyers", etc.

[animatic]

You gotta wonder what's happened to the moral compass of these kinds of folks.... a couple of architects no less, presumably meaning they had some degree of higher education.

Yet holding the victim with a plastic bag over his head??? What did they think was going to happen under that circumstance. That could have been enough alone to kill the guy... Then the victim faints and the genius abductors think he's dead... But he's really not and they drown him alive???

It's one of those kinds of things that just leaves one speechless. Except for that familiar advice... it's never good to have people in Thailand think you have a lot of money... Sure to shorten one's life.

It seems getting a degree here is as easy as spending the time in the class, not learning the material.

It also seems these fools floated through their courses, but in their late 20's were not up to making a living, or were just mindlessly wasting their time playing computer games. They are certainly too stupid to know; lack of oxygen causes passing out, and too stupid to check someones pulse to see if they are alive.

These guys are obviously 1 notch above morons and deserve some very nasty cell mates who maliciously toy with them for 20 years, leaving them in perpetual terror, like that their 'friend' and victim must of been in for several days until his death.