PHUKET: Police arrested a man today who was wanted over the killing of an expat in a parking dispute in Patong in January.
The expat - name and nationality unknown - was beaten to death in a dispute over parking in Soi Sansabai in January.
The killing was not reported publicly until April, when Patong deputy mayor Chairat Sukban mentioned the death at a meeting about the future management of Soi Sansabai, a private road.
At 1am today, Patong police arrested Treerapon Kerinn, 24, who was wanted for allegedly committing the killing.
Officers nabbed Khun Treerapon outside the Max Guesthouse in Soi Ratchapathanusorn, not far from Soi Sansabai.
It is believed Khun Treerapon fled to his home province of Ranong, on the border with Burma, after the killing.
Recently, thinking the heat was off, he returned to Patong and resumed his old work as a motorcycle taxi driver.
Khun Treerapon was being questioned at Kathu Police Station, which oversees Patong, today. It is believed he will shortly face court accused of murder.
Still puzzling is how the killing could have taken place without being publicly reported.
Because the identity of the victim is not known by Phuketwan or other media, we also don't know whether the man's embassy was told of the killing at the time.
It also appears the victim's name was not on a list of expat deaths on Phuket supplied to Phuket's honorary consuls by the Phuket Police Commander, a list that is supposed to be comprehensive.
The case flies in the face of efforts by the new Police Commander to make Phuket as safe as possible and to make Phuket policing as transparent as possible.
The names of the two expat tourists who died in the Tiger Discotheque fire - a Frenchman and an Englishman - were also absent from the latest police list of expat deaths on Phuket.
That said, the capture of the man wanted for the killing is a fine example of Phuket police work.
We still wish we had some knowledge of who the victim was and where he was from.
Back in April, Deputy Mayor Chairat said that the foreign man died in Patong Hospital after being badly beaten in Soi Sansabai in a dispute over where he could find his motorcycle, parked in the soi.
Readers commented to Phuketwan that disputes about motorcycle parking in the soi were regular occurrences and that sometimes voioence ensued.
The expat - name and nationality unknown - was beaten to death in a dispute over parking in Soi Sansabai in January.
The killing was not reported publicly until April, when Patong deputy mayor Chairat Sukban mentioned the death at a meeting about the future management of Soi Sansabai, a private road.
At 1am today, Patong police arrested Treerapon Kerinn, 24, who was wanted for allegedly committing the killing.
Officers nabbed Khun Treerapon outside the Max Guesthouse in Soi Ratchapathanusorn, not far from Soi Sansabai.
It is believed Khun Treerapon fled to his home province of Ranong, on the border with Burma, after the killing.
Recently, thinking the heat was off, he returned to Patong and resumed his old work as a motorcycle taxi driver.
Khun Treerapon was being questioned at Kathu Police Station, which oversees Patong, today. It is believed he will shortly face court accused of murder.
Still puzzling is how the killing could have taken place without being publicly reported.
Because the identity of the victim is not known by Phuketwan or other media, we also don't know whether the man's embassy was told of the killing at the time.
It also appears the victim's name was not on a list of expat deaths on Phuket supplied to Phuket's honorary consuls by the Phuket Police Commander, a list that is supposed to be comprehensive.
The case flies in the face of efforts by the new Police Commander to make Phuket as safe as possible and to make Phuket policing as transparent as possible.
The names of the two expat tourists who died in the Tiger Discotheque fire - a Frenchman and an Englishman - were also absent from the latest police list of expat deaths on Phuket.
That said, the capture of the man wanted for the killing is a fine example of Phuket police work.
We still wish we had some knowledge of who the victim was and where he was from.
Back in April, Deputy Mayor Chairat said that the foreign man died in Patong Hospital after being badly beaten in Soi Sansabai in a dispute over where he could find his motorcycle, parked in the soi.
Readers commented to Phuketwan that disputes about motorcycle parking in the soi were regular occurrences and that sometimes voioence ensued.
IHopefully justice may now be done but who WAS that mystery victim and what happened to them. We may never know.
Posted by Mister Ree on November 16, 2012 17:11