Don't inflame the locals
A drunken Prachin Buri man found himself in over his head when he pulled a gun on an army sergeant major at his home.
Muang police arrested Surasit Sohdon after he threatened Sgt Maj Thanakorn Chuasuk and refused requests to leave. The resulting commotion drew the attention of locals, who beat Mr Surasit with bamboo rods.
The two men had met for a drink but the session turned ugly when Mr Surasit realised Sgt Maj Thanakorn, worried about his safety, had removed the shells from a handgun he was carrying.
Sgt Maj Thanakorn, who admits he and Mr Surasit have had problems in the past, said Mr Surasit turned up at his home on Feb 12 and asked to drink with him. He decided to let bygones be bygones and agreed.
Sgt Maj Thanakorn said he took Mr Surasit to buy some alcohol but while they were at the shop noticed him behaving oddly. On their way back, he asked Mr Surasit to drive the motorbike while he sat at his rear.
"I felt around at his back and noticed he was carrying a gun. I thought nothing more of it, though when we started drinking, I removed the bullets," he said later.
"When we were finished, I gave him back the gun and told him to go home, but he refused. He repeatedly pulled out the weapon and asked where the bullets had gone.
"I told him I had removed them. He demanded their return but I refused as I wasn't feeling happy about the guy," he added.
One media report said that as the stand-off continued, Sgt Maj Thanakorn decided to wrest the gun from him, while his partner called his younger brother to help.
"I managed to retrieve the weapon, but Surasit pulled out a knife and went for my brother. I fetched my own gun and shot it twice into the ground as a warning.
"I told him to stop but he refused. I shot two more times into the ground and said next time I would shoot him. Finally he walked out, only to return again later with a firearm.
"I called the police as he entered my house and warned him against going any further."
Meanwhile, locals drawn by the commotion decided to attack Mr Surasit to teach him a lesson. When the police arrived, an injured Mr Surasit was trying to flee in his pickup.
With the help of locals, police were able to subdue him. They sent him to hospital to treat his injuries.
A news item on the One31 TV channel fleshed out the details, some of them at odds with other reports. It said Sgt Maj Thanakorn was unhappy to see Mr Surasit had brought a loaded gun to his house so took advantage of a moment when he was unaware to remove the bullets.
"Later, Surasit took out the gun to play, discovered it had no bullets and kicked up a fuss. He went to the bathroom, and Sgt Maj Thanakorn, who suspected he was about to reload the gun, asked his brother for help in seizing the weapon," the news report said.
When Mr Surasit re-emerged, he discharged the weapon, though it is unclear where. The brothers overpowered him and wrested control of the gun.
"I told him to go home and come back when he was sober again," Sgt Maj Thanakorn said.
He called police, but before they could arrive, Mr Surasit returned in his pickup with a new gun. However, still in a drunken state, he was no match for the locals, who had had their fill of his wild antics. Mr Surasit was charged with firearms offences and trespass.
Road racer oblivion
A young mechanic on a motorcycle was the innocent victim of a road race in Pathum Thani when a sedan racing a pickup lost control and hit his bike.
The body of Baramee "Aun" Phromtansud, 20, originally from Sikao district in Trang, was found metres from the scene, thrown by the force of the crash.
He sustained broken arms and legs and a smashed head when a Mazda sedan, thought to have been going at 120km/h, hit his bike on Pathum Thani-Rangsit Road in Muang district on Feb 14.
About 80m away, Suan Prik Thai police found his Yamaha motorcycle. It was cut in half by the force of the crash.
The car hit the power pole at such speed that it also cleaved the vehicle in two. The driver, Narong Sukjai, 30, had to be cut from the wreckage but sustained only minor injuries. A rescue crew sent him to Krung Siam St Carlos Medical Centre.
A friend of Aun's, Nattapong Raruenrom, 18, said he and his mate were mechanics from a car repair shop in nearby soi Wat Sadej.
"Before the accident, he called me to say his motorcycle had broken down. I drove over there to help push his bike back to the shop. We had almost made it to Wat Sadej intersection when the car hit him," he said.
Mr Nattapong, who was himself lucky to escape being hit, added: "Aun was thrown off the bike and hit the road. I called the police and Aun's Mum to tell her what happened."
News images show Aun's distraught mother, Kaewta Phokaew, hugging the broken body of her son.
Pol Lt Col Suwat Phoree, from Pak Klong Rangsit station, said police were checking CCTV cameras, and would test Mr Narong's blood alcohol before laying charges. No word was to hand on the fate of the other racing vehicle or its driver.
Myanmar hitman, going cheap
A woman tired of married life hired a Myanmar man for just 400 baht to slay her husband of more than 20 years, police say.
Region 5 police arrested Kanda Cheewasawat, 46, in Chiang Mai last week for arranging the death of her husband, Phetchaburapa Meesri, 53, whose body was found in a forest in Mae Hong Son province.
He had been beaten to death with bamboo rods. A local found the body on Jan 25 and alerted Khun Yuam police.
Inquiries led Region 5 police to Myanmar suspect Joma Ae (no surname) who works on an orchard in the village. "He said he was not angry with the victim; he killed him because he was hired to do so," one news report said.
Ms Kanda, he said, paid him 400 baht for slaying her husband, and also promised him she would let him have her daughter if he was successful.
She had been married to Phetchaburapa for more than 20 years and wanted to leave, but he wouldn't let her. The two argued often so she decided to have him killed.
Region 5 Police caught her in Chang Puak, Chiang Mai where she had gone into hiding. She admitted having her husband killed, saying she was angry with him. They handed her over to Khun Yuam police for further action.
