TWO PALS who worked at the same Phuket construction site fell out over rates of pay and one stabbed the other to death, police said today.

Sak Panupua, 34, a painter, won the dispute when it came to who earned the most, but it cost him his life, investigating officers told Phuketwan about the Saturday night slaying.

Khun Sak and Hutsanai Burayan, 28, a construction worker, shared a half-bottle of whisky at a building site near Makro in Phuket City about 8pm yesterday, one policeman said.

After they finished the drinking session, Khun Hutsani invited Khun Sak back to his quarters at the dormitory camp nearby.

It was there that he asked Khun Sak how much he earned. Khun Sak said that as a painter, his daily wage was 500 baht. Khun Hutsani said that as a constructor, his daily wage was only 300 baht.

Khun Sak then made a mistake that cost him his life by boasting about his wage compared to that of Khun Hutsani, police said.

In a fit of rage, Khun Hutsani stabbed Khun Sak in the chest and back, then repeatedly in the stomach, according to police.

Khun Hutsani spoke to a friend and said he was going to flee, but the friend advised him to give himself up, police said.

Officers were called to the camp about 12.10am where they found Khun Sak's body and Khun Hutsani, who confessed.