PHUKET: Two bullets, two cold-blooded murders: Phuket police are anxiously pursuing two killers they believe could both still be on the island.
Lack of clues for now hampers solving the murders of resort human resources manager and mother-of-two Jintana Mahattanapak, 42, and brave gold shop customer Pichet Chookong, 32.
Both killers are cool and calculating. One gunman shot Khun Jintana through the heavily tinted side window of her car in traffic on Chao Fa West Road on January 18.
He made sure that at that moment, she received a call to her mobile phone, lighting up her position inside the car, making her a clear target.
He only needed one shot. The telephone call came from an untraceable number.
Weeks later down the road at Tesco Lotus supermarket complex in Phuket City, one shot was all that the gold shop robber needed.
Instead of panicking at the sight of the gunman, as most people would, good customer Khun Pichet stepped forward, apparently intent on talking the man out of his plan.
The robber, unphased, fired just once. The gun misfired when he tried to shoot Khun Pichet a second time as he lay dying on the floor.
The gold robber went back to stripping items from the shelves then limped from the shop at a walking pace to ride off on a motorcycle, initially travelling towards the scene of Khun Jintana's execution.
Overseeing both murder probes is Colonel Wanchai Palawan, head of Phuket's Investigations Division.
''People must know who these killers are,'' he said. ''There will be giveaway clues that we hope people will see and tell us about.''
The prime suspect in the killing of Khun Jintana remains a person with whom she was in dispute in her role as human resources manager at the five-star Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa in Karon, on Phuket's holiday west coast.
For the second time, a thorough reading is being undertaken of all Khun Jintana's email correspondence.
Police believe her killers were probably hired professionals.
The coolness of the gold shop killer also indicated that he had carefully planned what to do, and that he knew how to snatch the total of stolen gold items to beyond two million baht quickly.
He may also have pulled at least one previous gold robbery on Phuket.
Police hope large rewards on offer in both notable Phuket murder cases will deliver the fresh leads they need, and soon.
Lack of clues for now hampers solving the murders of resort human resources manager and mother-of-two Jintana Mahattanapak, 42, and brave gold shop customer Pichet Chookong, 32.
Both killers are cool and calculating. One gunman shot Khun Jintana through the heavily tinted side window of her car in traffic on Chao Fa West Road on January 18.
He made sure that at that moment, she received a call to her mobile phone, lighting up her position inside the car, making her a clear target.
He only needed one shot. The telephone call came from an untraceable number.
Weeks later down the road at Tesco Lotus supermarket complex in Phuket City, one shot was all that the gold shop robber needed.
Instead of panicking at the sight of the gunman, as most people would, good customer Khun Pichet stepped forward, apparently intent on talking the man out of his plan.
The robber, unphased, fired just once. The gun misfired when he tried to shoot Khun Pichet a second time as he lay dying on the floor.
The gold robber went back to stripping items from the shelves then limped from the shop at a walking pace to ride off on a motorcycle, initially travelling towards the scene of Khun Jintana's execution.
Overseeing both murder probes is Colonel Wanchai Palawan, head of Phuket's Investigations Division.
''People must know who these killers are,'' he said. ''There will be giveaway clues that we hope people will see and tell us about.''
The prime suspect in the killing of Khun Jintana remains a person with whom she was in dispute in her role as human resources manager at the five-star Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa in Karon, on Phuket's holiday west coast.
For the second time, a thorough reading is being undertaken of all Khun Jintana's email correspondence.
Police believe her killers were probably hired professionals.
The coolness of the gold shop killer also indicated that he had carefully planned what to do, and that he knew how to snatch the total of stolen gold items to beyond two million baht quickly.
He may also have pulled at least one previous gold robbery on Phuket.
Police hope large rewards on offer in both notable Phuket murder cases will deliver the fresh leads they need, and soon.
And concerning the footage of the gold murder it looks clearly to me, that the shooter was cool and rationally in his movements. A pro in the handling of firing to kill. A trained man if you want. If law enforcement or military or criminal enforcer or excessive first person shooter player. Compassion and hesitation gone by reflex training. Not his first time.
The second shot gives it even more away. Totally not necessary to contain a "threat", not panicked, but more like a professional curtesy, black ops style. Even as it missfired, he just went on calmly.
Posted by Lena on April 19, 2013 22:07