Khon Kaen Policeman Sought In Killing

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Policeman sought in killing
KAWINTRA JAISEU
THE NATION



KHON KAEN: -- Police yesterday issued an arrest warrant for Khon Kaen's Nong Rua deputy superintendent Pol Lt-Colonel Somjit Kaewphrom, 43, after his subordinate implicated him as the man who shot dead the chief administrator of Khon Kaen's Provincial Administration Organisation.

Suchart Kothum, 53, was killed in front of his Muang district home on Friday.

Royal Thai Police senior adviser Pol General Chalermkiat Sriworakhan said Somjit's arrest warrant followed the earlier arrest of Pol Senior Sgt-Major Weerasak Chamnanpol, 37, in Maha Sarakham.

They allege that during interrogation, Weerasak confessed to being a target identifier for the team and also implicated his superior Somjit as the man who pulled the trigger.

Besides getting an arrest warrant for Somjit, Chalermkiat said police were now looking for two other members of the assassination team based on surveillance-video evidence, and a motive for the killing should be known after Somjit's arrest. He said police would work with transparency to ensure justice for all sides.

Weerasak was brought for re-enactment to Suchart's house at 1.30pm yesterday amid tight security. Onlookers included Suchart's co-workers.

Provincial Police Region 4 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Sakda Techakriengkrai said both Somjit and Weerasak were initially dismissed from the civil service pending investigation. Weerasak is now detained at Muang Khon Kaen police station and police opposed his bail.

Meanwhile Nong Rua superintendent Pol Colonel Thanomsit Wongwijan said both men were good drug-suppression policemen and still came to work on Saturday before being out of reach by phone during the next two days.

A source at Suchart's office, who asked not to be named, said a motive for the killing might stem from conflict over a local development budget.

Suchart's royal-sponsored cremation rite will be held at Wat Srichan on May 15.


-- The Nation 2013-05-07

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