Kathu and Provincial Police yesterday arrested four people in Phuket and Phang Nga who were wanted for the shooting of Mr Jumnong. The four were named as Mr Suwit Prathum, Mr Wittayanon Choorat, Ms Lamom Taweesin and Ms Paiboon Kaewphrod. Police also seized from them items of clothing and a homemade gun.
At 1am on Oct 8, Phuket International Hospital advised police that they were treating a man with a gun shot wound. The man, Mr Jumnong, 41, later died in the emergency room. The incident happened in front of the Golden View Village in Kathu.
Following the incident, Mr Jumnong’s wife told police that he had many girlfriends and that she believed the attack resulted from a conflict over a woman. (See story here.)
Kathu Police Chief Col Phattanachak Chakkaphan and Deputy Chief Col Sermpong Sirikong ordered his team find those responsible for the shooting, and after checking CCTV and questioning witnesses officers learned that the incident involved a person who hired a gunman. This led police to seek arrest warrants for four people they suspected were involved.
Kathu Police’s Lt Col Amponwat Sangrieng explained that they learned that the victim’s wife, Ms Paiboon or Bow, hired the arrested people to kill her husband. The gunmen was named as Wittayanon, the other two were his accomplices. All were relatives of Ms Paiboon.
“We think the motive is personal issues,” said Lt Col Amponwat.
“All four are facing murder charges, while Ms Paiboon will be charged with hiring a hitman. Both Paiboon and Lamom have denied the allegations made against them, while Wittayanon has admitted to being the shooter,” he added.