Two Cops Held For Ko Noi Murder

[Jai Yen Yen]

Two cops held for Ko Noi murder

PHUKET CITY: Two Phuket Provincial Police officers have been arrested in connection with the March 14 assassination of Preecha “Ko Noi” Kraitas, owner of the Phuket Shooting Range and the Fisherman Way housing estate.

K. Preecha was shot twice in the head while driving along Wiset Rd at 11 pm with his wife and son. He died in hospital the following day.

A local Thai-language newspaper identified the two men arrested as Pol Capt Wanchana Polpalangkul and Pol Sgt Pongsak Kosi-ratanapibal, both attached to the province’s élite Special Operations Unit.

The two were arrested just after midnight on March 18 by a posse of police led by the deputy chief of the Bangkok-based Central Investigations Division, Pol Maj Gen Suchat Meuankaew. He was accompanied by many of the island’s top law enforcers.

According to the report, Sgt Pongsak c racked after more than four hours of questioning, telling investigators he had been hired by Capt Wanchana “to finger the target” for a professional gunman from Petchaburi Province.

The gunman has reportedly also been arrested, but the newspaper gave no details.

Pongsak and Wanchana were charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy “in connection with others still at large”, the report said. The “others” were not identified.

Attempts today by the Gazette to confirm details of the story were brushed off by senior police officers who said they were “too busy” to comment.

Brought to you by:

The Phuket Gazette

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- gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside to know that I'm being taken care of by such wonderful policemen.

[Jai Yen Yen]

And now these fine upstanding servants of the community are out on bail

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Police name third Preecha killing suspect

PHUKET CITY: Police say they now believe they know the name of the gunman who assassinated Preecha “Ko Noi” Kraitas, owner of the Phuket Shooting Range and the Fisherman Way housing estate.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth named the wanted man as Samrerng Klaising, from Petchaburi.

Meanwhile, Pol Capt Wanchana Polpalangkul and Pol Sgt Pongsak Kosi-ratanapibal, both formerly attached to the province’s élite Special Operations Unit but now suspended from duty because of their alleged involvement in the murder, have been released on bail, Gen Decha said.

Wanchana is accused of organizing the hit, while Pongsak is accused of identifying K. Preecha for the gunman, he explained.

“They were refused bail by Phuket Provincial Court but were later granted bail by the Court of Appeal in Surat Thani,” Gen Decha said.

“Now we have to catch the other two involved in the murder. One of them is the gunman, Samrerng Klaising, from Petchaburi. We believe that Samrerng and the driver involved in the killing are hiding in Central Thailand,” Gen Decha said.

“We are coordinating with the Crime Suppression Division [in Bangkok] to arrest these two men,” he added.

K. Preecha was shot twice in the head on March 14 with while driving along Wiset Rd in Rawai at about 11 pm with his wife and son in the family’s black Jeep Cherokee. He died the following day.

Brought to you by:

The Phuket Gazette

[Miami Bob]

I have to wonder what this guy who got killed was into? They said in the gazette it is believed it had something to do with a "business deal". And this guy had an armed body gaurd following him around. He was probably no better than the cops that put the hit on him.

[taxexile]

And this guy had an armed body gaurd following him around. He was probably no better than the cops that put the hit on him.

well thank you bob for that reasoned argument and unprejudiced conclusion.

if only all thai visa posters were as succinct and sensible the world would undoubtedly be a better place.

p.s.

miami bob is no relation to braindead blinkered baltimore bob , at least i dont think he is.

[Miami Bob]

In my old age I try not to jump to conclusions. The world is big gray area. Lots of straight people back in Miami had body gaurds. The incident happened very near my house. Lots of flowers, people paying respects and police presents for days. Whether mafia dirt bag or fine upstanding citizen, for sure he was well known and appearantly a popular guy. Someone on this site might know more about " Ko Noi" beyond what it said in the Gazette.

Never heard of Baltimore Bob and I don't think I want to!