PHUKET: Police are looking for a young man over the savage killing last night of a Phuket resort staffer they believe was the young man's lover.
Panuwat ''Boy'' Kindee, 19, evaded capture last night as officers arrested three of his young friends.
Police believe all four were at the home of Yusofe Wattanaroj, 35, in Vichit, south of Phuket City, when he was bashed then strangled to death with a necktie.
Two of the men, Chanin Chokkea, and Kittibhum Jutaka, both 18, were arrested by police whle riding a motorcycle. The third man, a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, was apprehended later at a council apartment in Saphan Hin, Phuket City.
At the apartment, police found a laptop and other items belonging to Khun Yusofe. It is believed that Khun Boy made his escape last night on Khun Yusofe's stolen motorcycle, doing a u-turn as his pals rode on and were held by police.
The three arrested men have told officers they were all unemployed and often went to eat at Khun Yusofe's house. Even though they knew Khun Boy was homosexual, they regarded him as a friend.
An argument flared yesterday over who was going to cook rice for lunch, the men told police, resulting in a fight in which Khun Yusofe was beaten, then strangled.
The men hid the body under a mattress in a bedroom, where other friends of Khun Yusofe found it yesterday evening.
Police believe Khun Boy is still on Phuket.
Khun Yusofe's sister Sudiba told Phuketwan today that Khun Yusofe had planned to introduce Khun Boy to members of his family at her wedding on September 11.
Phuket Gay Murder Shocks Family, Resort StaffPanuwat ''Boy'' Kindee, 19, evaded capture last night as officers arrested three of his young friends.
Police believe all four were at the home of Yusofe Wattanaroj, 35, in Vichit, south of Phuket City, when he was bashed then strangled to death with a necktie.
Two of the men, Chanin Chokkea, and Kittibhum Jutaka, both 18, were arrested by police whle riding a motorcycle. The third man, a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, was apprehended later at a council apartment in Saphan Hin, Phuket City.
At the apartment, police found a laptop and other items belonging to Khun Yusofe. It is believed that Khun Boy made his escape last night on Khun Yusofe's stolen motorcycle, doing a u-turn as his pals rode on and were held by police.
The three arrested men have told officers they were all unemployed and often went to eat at Khun Yusofe's house. Even though they knew Khun Boy was homosexual, they regarded him as a friend.
An argument flared yesterday over who was going to cook rice for lunch, the men told police, resulting in a fight in which Khun Yusofe was beaten, then strangled.
The men hid the body under a mattress in a bedroom, where other friends of Khun Yusofe found it yesterday evening.
Police believe Khun Boy is still on Phuket.
Khun Yusofe's sister Sudiba told Phuketwan today that Khun Yusofe had planned to introduce Khun Boy to members of his family at her wedding on September 11.
Latest The front office manager of a Patong resort appears to have been murdered for his laptop, motorcycle, watch and ATM cards. Police are holding a man named ''Boy'' and two others.
Phuket Gay Murder Shocks Family, Resort Staff
"Even though they knew Khun Boy was homosexual, they regarded him as a friend." Does this sentence really need to be in the story? As if it's weird for gay people and straight people to be friends and this needs spelling out?
Posted by Phil Smith on September 2, 2011 14:14
Editor Comment:
That's a reasonable way of avoiding more contentious material, and an accurate translation of what they told police.