Tourist Police Hit In Phuket Town Shootout, Killing Two

[webfact]

Tourist Police hit in Phuket Town shootout, killing two
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A Phuket Tourist Police officer is in hospital this morning recovering from wounds sustained after a gunfight in a neighbor’s room which left two men dead early this morning.

Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok was shot in the leg and in the stomach in the incident, and is recovering from surgery. Police have yet to question him.

Officers received reports of shots fired at Phuket Garden Ville housing estate, near Phuket Rajabhat University (map here), at 2:30am.

They arrived to find the body of Saran Chaithum, 26, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, leaning against the open door to the room.

In the bed was the body of Chalermpol Tripuk, 26, from Trang.

Both had been killed by gunshots to the body.

Police found one survivor at the scene, Natthapong Kaewkuanchum, 25, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

“He had been shot three times in the chest,” Phuket City Police chief Col Sermphan Sirikong told the Phuket Gazette.

Mr Natthapong was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, Col Sermphan added. He too is recovering from surgery and has yet to be questioned by police.

“In the room, we found two 9mm cartridges, two bullets and crushed kratom leaves on the floor,” he said.

“We are questioning the neighbors and the apartment owner. When possible, we will also question those injured in the attack. We hope to have some answers soon,” Col Sermphan said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Tourist-Police-hit-in-Phuket-Town-shootout-killing-two-20555.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-20

[Guest]

It would be nice to live in a society where stories like these would be BIG news, unlike currently here as something which is forgotten or replaced with similar story next week.

Yet another day in the paradise.

[eezergood]

Was obviously not in one of much touted safety zones

[Locationthailand]

Ah Phuket... the holiday destination for all. Dead men bear no witness and tell no lies. So the 'tourist policeman' will have time to make up whatever he likes as he recovers.

[JetsetBkk]

I wonder if the surviving kid from Nakhon Sri Thammarat will ask for police protection?

[Lite Beer]

Tourist cop charged with murder after Phuket shootout

Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: Tourist police officer, Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok, was today (March 20) charged with two counts of murder and one of attempted murder after two people were shot dead and another seriously injured in a shootout earlier in the day.

Called to the scene in a boarding house in Sam Kong, Phuket Town, police found 25-year-old Chalermpon Tripak dead on the bed in his room with one shot in the stomach.

Lying dead in a bloody heap next to the door was 25-year-old Saran Chaiyatham, shot in the left side of his chest. (See earlier story here).

Still alive on the bed, but also with a stomach wound, lay Natthapong Keawkuanchum, 25.

The investigators checked the area and found two 9mm bullets and two spent cartridges on the floor of the room, along with a large amount of kratom leaves and drug paraphernalia.

There was also a pool of blood outside the door.

Warankana Wichien, who rents a room in the same building, told police that her husband, 40-year-old Tourist Police Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok, had been shot twice in the right leg, but had already been taken to hospital.

She said that her husband developed the suspicion that the room was being used by drug users, and walked in.

His wife, hearing gunfire, run to see what was happening, and saw her husband slumped outside the room, bleeding. He was taken to hospital and has since been transferred to Haad Yai for repair of a severed femoral artery.

Phuket Police Chief Gen Choti Chavalviwat told The Phuket News that although all the details were not yet clear, SSM Pichai’s gun was the only one found at the scene, indicating he had fired the fatal shots.

Gen Choti added his assurance that all those involved would receive equal treatment and consideration.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tourist-cop-charged-with-murder-after-phuket-shootout-38018.php

-- Phuket News 2013-03-20

[CHANGOVER]

2 people shot and killed by one bullet each and one survivor shot by 3 bullets they only found two 9mm bullets and two spent cartridges.

Police found one survivor at the scene, Natthapong Kaewkuanchum, 25, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
“He had been shot three times in the chest,”

''Warankana Wichien, who rents a room in the same building, told police
that her husband, 40-year-old Tourist Police Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai
Piyadilok, had been shot twice in the right leg''

''Phuket Police Chief Gen Choti Chavalviwat told The Phuket News that
although all the details were not yet clear, SSM Pichai’s gun was the
only one found at the scene, indicating he had fired the fatal shots.

Who shot him twice in the leg then?

What have I missed in this story?

Edited March 20, 2013 by CHANGOVER

[Yahooka]

With the missing pieces between police reports and press reporting,this sounds like a script for a new episode of CSI .

[NamKangMan]

With the missing pieces between police reports and press reporting,this sounds like a script for a new episode of CSI .

Yeh, as a police officer is involved, "CSI" will stand for "Can't Seriously Investigate." :) :)

[LivinginKata]

Troll post removed.

[ALFREDO]

Phuket Tourist Police shootout cop loses leg to gunfight injury

The Policeman does not want to speak until now.

As News agencies report he even lost his leg.

So, was there a fourth guy, who escaped, with a second gun, or did the Policeman shoot himself,

or was that gun for some time in the hands of one of the other three?

I hope we can read a follow up! Crazy story so far!

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-Tourist-Police-shootout-cop-loses-leg-to-gunfight-injury-20573.html

Edited March 21, 2013 by ALFREDO

[Ping]

The way it happens here is that where one is suspected, one is charged and it is then up to that person to extricate himself/herself from culpability. Turns our western presumption of innocence on its head, doesn't it...