A $US1 MILLION insurance policy was the main motive for the murder of a Canadian expat by his Thai wife, the victim's brother said today.
Richard Henry, who has been staying on Phuket while awaiting the result of the murder trial, was in Ranong yesterday when his brother Dale's wife, her boyfriend and a hit-man were all sentenced to life in prison.
''I wish this had never happened. But at least justice has been done,'' he told Phuketwan.
Convicted in a Ranong court were Maneerat ''Nee'' Henry, 27, her boyfriend, Amornsak Keskaew, and a hitman, Jinda Sae Tae.
''I don't feel safe staying in Ranong [on the border with Burma north of Phuket] but the case has kept me in Thailand since February,'' said Mr Henry, 46, who prefers a hotel in Karon on Phuket.
His brother met Khun Nee about eight years ago when she worked in a bar in Soi Green mango on Koh Samui.
They maried and moved to Ranong where Khun Nee's mother lived, and where Khun Nee's sister owned a house near the hotsprings.
Dale Henry worked as a safety supervisor for Noble Drilling, spending six weeks on duty at drilling rigs off the coast of North Africa, based around Nigeria, then six weeks at home in Ranong.
However, a nasty fall meant that he had to spend six months at home with a broken leg and Richard Henry believes this was the trigger for his murder.
''My brother knew Nee had a boyfriend but he thought Amornsak was a ladyboy, so he wasn't concerned when they spent time together.
''I think they got sick of him being around with his broken leg, and then there was the insurance.
''Dale had an insurance policy for $US1 million through his work and Nee was the beneficiary.''
Richard Henry's account of his brother's murder, based on what he has read, is that the couple enjoyed a meal at home on February 3 last year before Nee gave her husband a couple of strong drinks as he sat in the downstairs tv room, leading him to pass out.
Richard Henry believes Khun Nee left the front door ajar and urged the Burmese maid to go to bed before retiring upstairs for the night.
He says the two men entered the house and his brother was shot 11 times with a .38.
However, it was not until 30 minutes later that Khun Nee's mother raised the alarm with the village headman, who lived les than a minute away.
The maid, who heard a noise but was urged by Khun Nee to go back to bed and stay there, gave her version of events to police then subsequently disappeared.
Richard Henry said police found incriminating sms exchanges with Khun Amornsak on Khun Nee's cell phone that left no doubt a killing was being contemplated.
Mr Henry was due to arrive in Thailand for a visit five days after the murder. ''She did it at that time because she wanted my sympathy and I would be on her side,'' he said.
Mr Henry now plans a civil suit to recover an expensive motorcycle that belonged to his brother and about $US22,000 that disappeared from his bank account.
''I do like Thailand,'' said Mr Henry, who runs a window-cleaning business in Victoria, Canada. ''But it has changed in the past five years.''
He believes some spouses will inevitably plan murders, wherever they are in the world, if large sums of money are involved.
''The difference in Thailand,'' he said, ''Is that it is so easy to arrange a killing.''
Richard Henry, who has been staying on Phuket while awaiting the result of the murder trial, was in Ranong yesterday when his brother Dale's wife, her boyfriend and a hit-man were all sentenced to life in prison.
''I wish this had never happened. But at least justice has been done,'' he told Phuketwan.
Convicted in a Ranong court were Maneerat ''Nee'' Henry, 27, her boyfriend, Amornsak Keskaew, and a hitman, Jinda Sae Tae.
''I don't feel safe staying in Ranong [on the border with Burma north of Phuket] but the case has kept me in Thailand since February,'' said Mr Henry, 46, who prefers a hotel in Karon on Phuket.
His brother met Khun Nee about eight years ago when she worked in a bar in Soi Green mango on Koh Samui.
They maried and moved to Ranong where Khun Nee's mother lived, and where Khun Nee's sister owned a house near the hotsprings.
Dale Henry worked as a safety supervisor for Noble Drilling, spending six weeks on duty at drilling rigs off the coast of North Africa, based around Nigeria, then six weeks at home in Ranong.
However, a nasty fall meant that he had to spend six months at home with a broken leg and Richard Henry believes this was the trigger for his murder.
''My brother knew Nee had a boyfriend but he thought Amornsak was a ladyboy, so he wasn't concerned when they spent time together.
''I think they got sick of him being around with his broken leg, and then there was the insurance.
''Dale had an insurance policy for $US1 million through his work and Nee was the beneficiary.''
Richard Henry's account of his brother's murder, based on what he has read, is that the couple enjoyed a meal at home on February 3 last year before Nee gave her husband a couple of strong drinks as he sat in the downstairs tv room, leading him to pass out.
Richard Henry believes Khun Nee left the front door ajar and urged the Burmese maid to go to bed before retiring upstairs for the night.
He says the two men entered the house and his brother was shot 11 times with a .38.
However, it was not until 30 minutes later that Khun Nee's mother raised the alarm with the village headman, who lived les than a minute away.
The maid, who heard a noise but was urged by Khun Nee to go back to bed and stay there, gave her version of events to police then subsequently disappeared.
Richard Henry said police found incriminating sms exchanges with Khun Amornsak on Khun Nee's cell phone that left no doubt a killing was being contemplated.
Mr Henry was due to arrive in Thailand for a visit five days after the murder. ''She did it at that time because she wanted my sympathy and I would be on her side,'' he said.
Mr Henry now plans a civil suit to recover an expensive motorcycle that belonged to his brother and about $US22,000 that disappeared from his bank account.
''I do like Thailand,'' said Mr Henry, who runs a window-cleaning business in Victoria, Canada. ''But it has changed in the past five years.''
He believes some spouses will inevitably plan murders, wherever they are in the world, if large sums of money are involved.
''The difference in Thailand,'' he said, ''Is that it is so easy to arrange a killing.''
off the coast of North Africa, based around Nigeria, Surely you mean Algeria as Nigeria is miles away on the West Coast Of Africa
Editor: Thanks for the geography. ''Based off Nigeria'' is what we meant.
Posted by Neill Campbell on September 1, 2009 17:49