POLICE have arrested four men over a gangland-style shootout in Patong and charged one with his cousin's murder.
The fatal shots in July climaxed a family feud, police said, over a parcel of land, Jintana Plaza in Patong.
Daruwat Burintarakob, 24, who died amid the action that day, was the nephew of a woman who was murdered last year in what police say remains a bitter dispute about the property.
Rival gangs met on a strip of open land near the plaza in July, Police Lieutenant Jukkapong Luang-on told Phuketwan today.
Officers have yet to recover any weapons but they have found evidence that at least three handguns were fired: a .38, a .44 and a .45.
As shots rang out about 1.50pm, tourists and vendors nearby scattered in all directions. At the other end of the island, an important Asean summit was being held.
Arrested yesterday about the same time at the Jintana Plaza office and charged with his cousin's murder was Wuttichai Burintarakob, 47, of Korat.
Arrested with him and also charged with murder were Nattapon Wongsuriya, 37, of Songkla, Amaron Yeeyu, 22, of Songkla, and Tiron Nokrurak, 36, of Trang.
Police believe all four men left the island after the killing and only recently returned. They are being held without bail pending court appearances. All four deny the charges.
The gun battle began with a simple push, police told Phuketwan, when two groups of men met behind green screen fencing to discuss the dispute.
They talked, one man pushed another in the chest, and all hell broke loose.
Tourists scattered in terror and people nearby lost count of the number of shots they heard in the gun battle that followed.
A red Honda CVR appeared on the scene instantly and the killers escaped. Police at first believed that some of them were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Khun Daruwat died from a single shot to the heart. It was in his car, where he had left the keys, that his alleged killers escaped.
Wounded in the exchange were the men who were there to protect him: former Police Captain Sunan Potsawatpairoj, 62, who was shot twice in the left leg, Ieron Yeebu, 35, who suffered a bullet wound to his chin, and Aod Aekkaew, 29, with a calf wound from a bullet that went into his right leg and out the other side.
The woman killed last year is Komkay Kositkul, an aunt to both the murder victim and the alleged killer. Khun Komkay was the owner of Jintana Plaza.
Her killers were arrested. Khun Komkay took over the plaza from a sick sister. A brother, Khun Suwat, took over after Khun Komkay was killed, and then delegated management to his son, Khun Daruwat.
Police allege it was Wuttichai, the son of another brother, Wiwat, who killed Daruwat.
Jintana Plaza, on the beach road close to the Impiana Phuket Resort, has become notorious over the past two years for the fires that frequently break out there, often to the despair of uninsured tenants and vendors.
Six Phuket Resorts and 1200 Rooms Win a Big TickThe fatal shots in July climaxed a family feud, police said, over a parcel of land, Jintana Plaza in Patong.
Daruwat Burintarakob, 24, who died amid the action that day, was the nephew of a woman who was murdered last year in what police say remains a bitter dispute about the property.
Rival gangs met on a strip of open land near the plaza in July, Police Lieutenant Jukkapong Luang-on told Phuketwan today.
Officers have yet to recover any weapons but they have found evidence that at least three handguns were fired: a .38, a .44 and a .45.
As shots rang out about 1.50pm, tourists and vendors nearby scattered in all directions. At the other end of the island, an important Asean summit was being held.
Arrested yesterday about the same time at the Jintana Plaza office and charged with his cousin's murder was Wuttichai Burintarakob, 47, of Korat.
Arrested with him and also charged with murder were Nattapon Wongsuriya, 37, of Songkla, Amaron Yeeyu, 22, of Songkla, and Tiron Nokrurak, 36, of Trang.
Police believe all four men left the island after the killing and only recently returned. They are being held without bail pending court appearances. All four deny the charges.
The gun battle began with a simple push, police told Phuketwan, when two groups of men met behind green screen fencing to discuss the dispute.
They talked, one man pushed another in the chest, and all hell broke loose.
Tourists scattered in terror and people nearby lost count of the number of shots they heard in the gun battle that followed.
A red Honda CVR appeared on the scene instantly and the killers escaped. Police at first believed that some of them were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Khun Daruwat died from a single shot to the heart. It was in his car, where he had left the keys, that his alleged killers escaped.
Wounded in the exchange were the men who were there to protect him: former Police Captain Sunan Potsawatpairoj, 62, who was shot twice in the left leg, Ieron Yeebu, 35, who suffered a bullet wound to his chin, and Aod Aekkaew, 29, with a calf wound from a bullet that went into his right leg and out the other side.
The woman killed last year is Komkay Kositkul, an aunt to both the murder victim and the alleged killer. Khun Komkay was the owner of Jintana Plaza.
Her killers were arrested. Khun Komkay took over the plaza from a sick sister. A brother, Khun Suwat, took over after Khun Komkay was killed, and then delegated management to his son, Khun Daruwat.
Police allege it was Wuttichai, the son of another brother, Wiwat, who killed Daruwat.
Jintana Plaza, on the beach road close to the Impiana Phuket Resort, has become notorious over the past two years for the fires that frequently break out there, often to the despair of uninsured tenants and vendors.
Brands in Bloom A fourth Courtyard by Marriott, a new Novotel and another Phuket Arcadia are coming, just three of six resort projects that will add 1200 rooms to Phuket resort stock.
Six Phuket Resorts and 1200 Rooms Win a Big Tick
Phuket Wins Miss Poland Beauty Contestants
Phuket Photo Album Beauty comes in all sizes and shapes and the Miss Polonia contestants will discover over the next few days how beautiful the island of Phuket can be.
Phuket Wins Miss Poland Beauty Contestants
Phuket Economy: Blue Skies on Island's Horizon
Latest Analysis Figures for Phuket tourism arrivals and departures suddenly take off by an astonishing 36 percent. But close inspection reveals all is not as it seems.
Phuket Economy: Blue Skies on Island's Horizon
Splashdown! Aftermath of the Phuket Bungy Bungle
Phuket Latest Phuket's Jungle Bungy bungle lives on to be seen over and over again around the world on an official video. The jump's manager sets the record straight.
Splashdown! Aftermath of the Phuket Bungy Bungle
Norway's Professors Pursue Phi Phi Killer Riddle
Latest The enduring mystery of why two young tourists died on the holiday island of Phi Phi may yet be answered. Two forensic professors have been working on the case since June.
Norway's Professors Pursue Phi Phi Killer Riddle
