Rogue Officer Kills Shop-owner For Gold

[Jai Dee]

Rogue officer kills shop-owner for gold

An allegedly cash-strapped rogue police officer shot and killed a 74-year-old Phanom Sarakham gold-shop owner yesterday morning before making off with 63 necklaces.

Police Sgt Major Wanchai Penbuppha, 46, was arrested less than an hour later, according to Provincial Police Region 2 chief Lt General Jongrak Juthanont.

A crash-helmet-wearing robber was caught on closed-circuit cameras bursting in to the Mae Kim Lee gold shop while owner Bong-kot Nontawat read a newspaper.

The recording shows Bongkot being shot several times as he attempts to snatch a gun held by the robber.

Police said the robber grabbed 63 gold necklaces before fleeing on a motorcycle.

Jongrak said a passer-by followed the robber and later alerted police to his whereabouts.

A police patrol discovered Wanchai acting suspiciously at the location identified by the witness. Police apprehended Wanchai as he was changing into his police uniform.

His motorcycle was half covered in black tape and police claimed he had disguised it before the robbery. Officers recovered necklaces nearby and clothing allegedly worn by the suspect.

Jongrak said Wanchai claimed he had been tracking the robber.

He allegedly confessed to the robbery and shooting after being shown the gold-shop security recording.

According to Jongrak, Wanchai carried out the robbery because his family was in financial difficulty.

"He will be charged with robbery and murder and now faces the death penalty," Jongrak said.

Police had retrieved 50 of the stolen necklaces.

Source: The Nation - 15 August 2006

[whimsy]

Police had retrieved 50 of the stolen necklaces.

......... and the other 13 necklaces are now in police custody.

Seriously, this was a very violent crime. I saw the video on TV last night. Condolences to the victims family and friends.

Edited August 15, 2006 by whimsy

[tourleadersi]

I can imagine the next 'Police Officers Ball'. Thirteen of the officers are going to walk in looking like Mr.T!

"No sir, we never did find those last 13 necklaces. Yes sir, it is amazing how he managed to hock them in less than an hour. Sorry sir, I will put my necklace under my shirt if it is dazzling you. Yes sir it is nice, I actually have 12 others just like it if you are interested?"

Yeah, I guess its wrong to see the humorous side in this. Condolences to the family. Why did he try and fight the guy? I had the same thing happen to me and I just stood back and said 'Help yourselves'. I didn't put up a fight but that didn't seem to stop them wanting to have some sadistic fun with me involving a banging my head repeatedly off a wall with the gun muzzle. Imagine what they would have done if I had fought them?

Edited August 15, 2006 by tourleadersi

[terry57]

another one of the things i love about thailand is they have capital punishment.

so its bye bye mr ex police man and the sooner they do it the better.

cheers

[Scott]

Hey, I am surprised the police officer was arrested, usually, they just get sent to an inactive post.

Condolences to the family.

[Pattayatony]

I see crimes like this and wonder what must be going through their brain. He comits the crime because he and his family are short of money, so now we have the shop owners family going through hel_l after loosing their loved one and the cops family will also go through many hardships, their bread winner will either go to jail for a long time or get the injection. It has compleatly stuffed up two familys and for what a few gold chains that he wont even get the chance to spend. Yes its the victims that will suffer.

[seri thai]

One of the things I have trouble adjusting to here is the "family is everything" ethic and a total lack of empathy for anything beyond it. It stems from sociological factors, decades and centuries old. No state support, corrupt authorities and scratching a living for you and yours. The same problems in every developing country. The growing middle class develop compassion as they gain the wealth to afford it. If you want to understand the peasant class-watch "The Seven Samurai."

Opportunism is Everything!

[Kido]

In some country like Malaysia, Government servant can obtain loan from local banking up to 500,000 Bt which can release burden of the those who work entire life with little salary.

Taksin should consider helping these people where the will deduce from thier salary each month, instead spending billions on new airport along.

With 500,000 Bt, those poor goverment officers will reduce corruptions and helping family members to start small business ..

Government policy..??

[Pattayatony]

In some country like Malaysia, Government servant can obtain loan from local banking up to 500,000 Bt which can release burden of the those who work entire life with little salary.

Taksin should consider helping these people where the will deduce from thier salary each month, instead spending billions on new airport along.

With 500,000 Bt, those poor goverment officers will reduce corruptions and helping family members to start small business ..

Government policy..??

It also gives them the money to gamble on the World cup or two flys running up a wall. Sorry I dont see this as a solution

Tony

[fruittbatt]

One of the things I have trouble adjusting to here is the "family is everything" ethic and a total lack of empathy for anything beyond it. It stems from sociological factors, decades and centuries old. No state support, corrupt authorities and scratching a living for you and yours. The same problems in every developing country. The growing middle class develop compassion as they gain the wealth to afford it. If you want to understand the peasant class-watch "The Seven Samurai."

Opportunism is Everything!

I am not so sure that your evolutionary anthropological/sociological theoretical model is a useful tool for analysing crimes such as this one. Thailand is not simply a "developing country" but is in fact "developed" already in many respects. I find your analysis condescending and cynical in the same way that most western social-scientific studies of non-western societies are: pointing to a so-called historically-determined overt corruption, claiming that only the rich can afford to empathise and the rest don't give a ff about any but their families, and are callously opportunistic. Makes me wonder if you are describing the Thai people I know and like or the uncaring western country i left for precisely the same factors you see in Thai society.

In regard to this crime, robberies and violent murders motivated by desperation and/or sheer greed (and countless other factors) happen in every country, particularly those where people have easy access to firearms. Thailand is no exception.

[terry57]

One of the things I have trouble adjusting to here is the "family is everything" ethic and a total lack of empathy for anything beyond it. It stems from sociological factors, decades and centuries old. No state support, corrupt authorities and scratching a living for you and yours. The same problems in every developing country. The growing middle class develop compassion as they gain the wealth to afford it. If you want to understand the peasant class-watch "The Seven Samurai."

Opportunism is Everything!

i might just say one thing my very fine friend and that is, " family to thai are everything "

its born into them to respect and treasure there parents.

remember there is no social security blanket like in the west.

so here's the go mate ,

you need your family mate.

cheers fella