Farut murder suspect arrested

Police have arrested a building contractor in Nakhon Ratchasima in connection with last week's murder of the son of Chartthaipattana Party MP for Uthai Thani Chada Thaised.

Region 3 Provincial Police Bureau chief Panu Kerdlarppol said the suspect confessed to the fatal shooting of Farut Thaised in Nakhon Ratchasima on Aug 20.

The police commissioner said a press conference on the case will be held at the police bureau today.

The contractor reportedly turned himself in to Bangkok police yesterday.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, went into hiding following the shooting incident that resulted in Farut's death.

Police said the suspect works as a contractor at a housing estate in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Police brought the man to tambon Moosi in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima where the crime took place for questioning.

The man was quoted by police as saying that he was driving his Toyota Vigo pickup truck alone, as Farut's vehicle approached from behind.

The suspect reportedly said that Farut's Toyota Prado flashed its high-beam headlights. He allowed the Prado to overtake his pickup.

Both vehicles then took turns passing each other and flashing their high-beam lights in anger, the man reportedly told police.

The contractor said the first gunshot was fired from Farut's vehicle. The man says he fired three shots back in self-defence before escaping.

The incident occurred on the Khao Yai-Wang Nam Khieo road in tambon Moosi.

The man went into hiding in his home province of Ratchaburi. His vehicle had bullet holes in it, which have been repaired.

He said he did not turn himself in to police earlier because he feared for his safety. The man was detained at the Region 3 Provincial Police Bureau that supervises Nakhon Ratchasima.

Earlier, Pol Maj Gen Ongart Phiewruangnont, chief of police in Nakhon Ratchasima, said the accounts provided by witnesses on Farut's side enabled investigators to narrow down the investigation.

Police detectives believe a 9mm pistol was used in the shooting.

Farut, 27, was shot in the head while driving his Toyota Prado with five passengers.

The shooting occurred during a family outing in Khao Yai.

Mr Chada and six members of his family, including his son, were staying at Chateau De Khao Yai Hotel and Resort in tambon Moosi of Pak Chong district. The shooting occurred after the group went out to dinner.

The seven members of Mr Chada's family left the resort in a Toyota Prado to eat at a McDonald's restaurant at Tesco Lotus on Mittraphap Road. Mr Chada met a friend who was waiting for him there.

After the meal, Mr Chada rode in his friend's BMW and Farut drove the Prado.

Police earlier offered a 100,000-baht reward for the information leading to the culprit's arrest.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 31/08/2012 at 06:02 PM
Unfortunately this is getting worst we don’t only have inexperienced drivers or drivers with no experience at all but more and more ridiculous drivers who shoot at you because you overtake or don’t let them overtake you.
Discussion 2 : 31/08/2012 at 11:49 AM
Perhaps the headline is deceiving, since if it happened the way Panu says, it was not murder.
Discussion 3 : 31/08/2012 at 11:05 AM
very sad when a citizen is afraid to turn themselves into the police, being concerned for their safety. Not good. The police should be a citizen's first line of protection.
Discussion 4 : 31/08/2012 at 11:04 AM
And people wonder why I refuse to get behind the wheel of a car in Thailand. As for the reward, since the contractor turned himself in, should he not get the reward? Seems fitting, because if this version of the story is correct, he is actually a victim in this.
Discussion 5 : 31/08/2012 at 10:37 AM
I have seen this situation where people flash their lights at each other .A pilot was shot about a year ago in the same scenario .People acting badly will have bad things happen to them .
Discussion 6 : 31/08/2012 at 07:53 AM
Political killings are not unusual but the contractor's story is more believable to me. A blue collar worker isn't likely to be a political assassin. Road rage makes more sense. There was a second person's blood in Farut's car. Where did this person disappear to? Seems like the original testimony of the witnesses in Farut's car is lacking information. It's sad that people get so angry on the road that they will kill if they feel they are disrespected.
Discussion 7 : 31/08/2012 at 07:51 AM
And I wonder what would happen to that 100000Bhts reward offered by the police since the killer turned himself to the police who haven't had a clue about anything, even the car that was used in this incident was incorrectly indentified.
Discussion 8 : 31/08/2012 at 07:30 AM
The incredibly childish behavior and fragile egos that caused this killing are sadly all too common in Thailand. It takes someone with a distorted illusion of self importance to flash high beams at anything in front of him and expect them to fall all over themselves getting out of the way. The danger on Thai roads is not caused by poor driving skills, it's caused by the emotional immaturity of many drivers here, especially the males.
Discussion 9 : 31/08/2012 at 07:09 AM
So it was road rage that caused this unnecessary killing, and not politically motivated as originally said by one Dep PM who always talk about everything as if he knows everything.

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