Man accused of triple murder was offered car, gold: Bangkok police

[webfact]

MURDER OF HOMGCHONG FAMILY
Man accused of triple murder was offered car, gold: police
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The man who allegedly killed three members of the Homchong family in Bangkok's Bang Khae district last week has confessed he was promised a car and a gold necklace with a Buddha amulet as payment for the killings, according to police.

Suspected gunman Sirichai Phermpoonsak surrendered to police on Sunday night. Police offered a Bt500,000 reward for his arrest.

Colonel Wichai Homchong, 63, a military retiree, his wife Wanida, 57, a teacher, and their eldest son Pol Lieutenant Tammanat, 24, an investigator at Taling Chan Police Station, were shot dead at their home on April 3.

Sirichai allegedly claimed he didn't know surviving family member Kittinan Homchong, 22, who is suspected of playing a role in the triple murders, which reportedly stemmed from a conflict over family assets. Sirichai claimed he was sub-contracted to carry out the killings by two other men, Kittinan's close friend Sakrin Panthukul, 22, and Chalard Thiengtham, 53, the alleged driver of the getaway taxi.

After the crime, Sirichai laid low at a relative's Bangkok house, where police said he hid the murder weapon. He said he decided to surrender to police after learning Kittinan had hired him to kill his parents and elder brother.

Sirichai said he broke into the family home with another man, Surapong Chupan, 47, and shot all the victims dead with a gun he had bought a month earlier. "I'm sorry for what I have done. I didn't know [the full story]," he said, adding that he thought the killings were over the victims' failure to repay debts.

Sirichai yesterday re-enacted the crime at the family's home.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Camronwit Toopgrajank said Sirichai had a previous murder conviction in the Din Daeng area and had just been released from prison when he teamed up with Kittinan, Sakrin, Chalard and Surapong in the triple murder.

He said the motive was Kittinan's alleged anger over his father's criticism of his behaviour, academic performance and unemployment, as well as his father's comparing him to his elder brother. He also allegedly desired to take over the family's four-rai plot of land worth Bt100 million.


-- The Nation 2014-04-08

[GeorgeO]

I know there were other valuable items involved, but how can the promise of a Buddha amulet motivate someone to kill another person.

Given his desire to own the amulet, this person is suggesting that he is a devout Buddhist, and yet he is prepared to kill for the object...! Is Buddhism in Thailand so <deleted> up?

[ezzra]

"Sirichai, one of the gunmen, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 12 years for murder, drug and robbery convictions, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said."

12 years for murder, drug and robbery... who said crime doesn't pay? the penal code in this country must be

lopsided, whereby you get 10-20 years in jail for much lesser crimes.. and 12 years for killing, robbing

and drug dealings...

[CelticBhoy]

"I'm sorry for what I have done. I didn't know [the full story]," he said, adding that he thought the killings were over the victims' failure to repay debts.

Which would have been okay in Sirichai's book? Killing for being in debt?

What a complete and utter piece of you-know-what this cretin is.

[doorframe]

Killed three people to get a Buddha amulet! The irony in that thought process is amazing.

[Globeman]

"Sirichai, one of the gunmen, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 12 years for murder, drug and robbery convictions, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said."

12 years for murder, drug and robbery... who said crime doesn't pay? the penal code in this country must be

lopsided, whereby you get 10-20 years in jail for much lesser crimes.. and 12 years for killing, robbing

and drug dealings...

I don't know about this case specifically, but very often the sentence gets halved and halved again on the HM the King's birthday by Royal decree. Plus you can petition the King in between - often for a total Amnesty, after you've served a few years - granting the prisoner a sort of early parole.

[GaoYuk]

What a nice Buddhist man we have here..

[Valentine]

I am disgusted by this guy & all others like him. He is clever enough to admit to the killings & appear to be showing remorse which are 2 important criteria to avoid the death penalty although IMO this low life scum deserves nothing less. I wonder if judges here have the authority to set a non parole period which in this guys case should be never.

[mcfish]

Murder here is so cheap and the killers so desperate as to accept just a promise as payment.

[ezzra]

"Sirichai, one of the gunmen, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 12 years for murder, drug and robbery convictions, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said."

12 years for murder, drug and robbery... who said crime doesn't pay? the penal code in this country must be

lopsided, whereby you get 10-20 years in jail for much lesser crimes.. and 12 years for killing, robbing

and drug dealings...

I don't know about this case specifically, but very often the sentence gets halved and halved again on the HM the King's birthday by Royal decree. Plus you can petition the King in between - often for a total Amnesty, after you've served a few years - granting the prisoner a sort of early parole.

As I said, this system is wrong, releasing hard core murderers on to society where they do not

belong, as they will offend gain and again, those are the broken machines of the human

society...and need to dealt with as such...

[DerkMR]

This wasn't "killing for a Buddha amulet", it was killing for money - a car, a gold necklace and a amulet where the amulet may be worth some months salaries. So overall it adds up to like 10 or more years salaries of a simple worker!

And no wonder there are so many murder cases in this land where a lot of people classify themselfs as Buddhist but very few are...

Bye,

Derk

[allan michaud]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"Sirichai, one of the gunmen, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 12 years for murder, drug and robbery convictions, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said."

12 years for murder, drug and robbery... who said crime doesn't pay? the penal code in this country must be

lopsided, whereby you get 10-20 years in jail for much lesser crimes.. and 12 years for killing, robbing

and drug dealings...

or zero years if you own a Ferrari

[stickylies]

the burmese junta were all devout buddhists. majority of all khmer rouge cadres were devout budhists before angkar outlawed religion. and so on...

[thesetat2013]

I am disgusted by this guy & all others like him. He is clever enough to admit to the killings & appear to be showing remorse which are 2 important criteria to avoid the death penalty although IMO this low life scum deserves nothing less. I wonder if judges here have the authority to set a non parole period which in this guys case should be never.

Even if the judges refused any kind of parole the killer could become a monk and be set free.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Keesters]

...gunman Sirichai Phermpoonsak surrendered to police on Sunday.... Police offered a Bt500,000 reward for his arrest.

So who gets the half million?

Edited April 8, 2014 by Keesters

[aussieinthailand]

I know there were other valuable items involved, but how can the promise of a Buddha amulet motivate someone to kill another person.

Given his desire to own the amulet, this person is suggesting that he is a devout Buddhist, and yet he is prepared to kill for the object...! Is Buddhism in Thailand so <deleted> up?

NO,,,, it's the value of the amulet nothing to do with him claiming to be a Buddhist,

[TheReporter]

The suspect was convicted for killing someone before and he was just released from jail? Why in the world was he released anyway? He should be locked up for life for killing someone. Something is seriously wrong with the Thai criminal justice system which makes absolutely no sense on this matter.

[GeorgeO]

I know there were other valuable items involved, but how can the promise of a Buddha amulet motivate someone to kill another person.

Given his desire to own the amulet, this person is suggesting that he is a devout Buddhist, and yet he is prepared to kill for the object...! Is Buddhism in Thailand so <deleted> up?

NO,,,, it's the value of the amulet nothing to do with him claiming to be a Buddhist,

You make that statement as if you are privy to information we do not have...!! If value was his motivation, then surely he would told them to 'stick' the amulet and provide cash...!

Edited April 8, 2014 by GeorgeO

[sidewaysallwayz]

...sometimes I think Thai people get their ideas from watching too many Thai soap operas...this kinda of stuff seems to happen a lot, and a lot of it is like LaKorn Thai

[tomyummer]

Killed people under a false pretense so was sorry and turned himself in?

What an ass. What a country.

[haveaniceday]

"Sirichai, one of the gunmen, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 12 years for murder, drug and robbery convictions, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said."

12 years for murder, drug and robbery... who said crime doesn't pay? the penal code in this country must be

lopsided, whereby you get 10-20 years in jail for much lesser crimes.. and 12 years for killing, robbing

and drug dealings...

Like 20 years for a SMS ?

[cardinalblue]

Because he turned himself in, he gets the 500K and his sentence will be reduced in half for his cofession....The country needs a total revamping of the court system...he should be innocent until proven guilty but once found guilty then max sentence given.

Instead admission leads to lighter sentences and greater chance for early release as he was released on a murder charge...

Another example of Thai avoidance of accountability...

CB

[kuiburi]

...sometimes I think Thai people get their ideas from watching too many Thai soap operas...this kinda of stuff seems to happen a lot, and a lot of it is like LaKorn Thai

Guess its more like that the soaps are a reflection of Thai society .

It shocked me to hear the stories when I was new to Thailand , but now I except it that it is part of there culture .

In our family and extended family I know of people that either killed or got killed .

Best is just to keep a low profile .

[Halion]

When you view this story in all it's aspects what emerges is a sad but true cameo reflection of this culture.

[khunken]

When you view this story in all it's aspects what emerges is a sad but true cameo reflection of this culture.

No it's not. It's purely a greedy youngster hiring an apparent contract killer to remove his family and grab their wealth. The son who hired this killer is just as guilty if not more so.

BTW the copper on the left is so bored that he has to play with his mobile phone.

[tiffanystoyz]

Question is did he get the reward for turning himself in?

[Som wat]

Thailand: Where everybody knows how to get a hitman.

Perhaps it's a Buddhist thing.

[SOTIRIOS]

....and what difference ....'the whole story'.........

....murder 3 people in cold blood......and then apologize.....???

[stevecm]

Think he probably realised killing ex army and teacher plus a current BIB better to turn himself in then face a bodybag. My take anyway. With the reward, chances are, he knew he would be ratted out.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[boomerangutang]

I am disgusted by this guy & all others like him. He is clever enough to admit to the killings & appear to be showing remorse which are 2 important criteria to avoid the death penalty although IMO this low life scum deserves nothing less. I wonder if judges here have the authority to set a non parole period which in this guys case should be never.

With pardons, he'll be let out much sooner than his 12 year sentence. Meanwhile, a Thai woman was given the death penalty in Vietnam, for 1st offense smuggling drugs.