Officers arrested the suspect, Anuphat Chuwaree, 31, from where he was hiding in front of an apartment in Soi Sukniran 2, Wichit, reported Wichit Police Deputy Chief Lt Col Thammasan Boonsong.
Lt Col Thammasan confirmed that Anuphat was wanted for attempted murder.
Anuphat answered police questions at Wichit Police Station this morning (Aug 29). Anuphat also confessed to the stabbing to reporters this morning, but dismissed the notion that his daughter was present during the attack.
Anuphat’s claim cannot be substantiated by CCTV footage before and after the stabbing.
CCTV coverage in the area showed Anuphat approaching his victim, Kittisak ‘Phan’ Mahiphan, 31, on Soi Muang Thong 5, Moo 6, Wichit, while his daughter was riding pillion.
Another camera showed Mr Kittisak hobbling along the road clutching his left leg while trying to flag down passing motorists for help before collapsing on the footpath.
The time on the first camera showed the conversation with the daughter present occurred at 2:34pm, while the second camera showing Mr Kittisak after the stabbing was marked as recorded at 1:34pm.
“The child on the motorbike is irrelevant. This is something between me and Mr Phan,” Anuphat said, repeatedly referring to the man he stabbed as his “friend”.
Anuphat also denied that he stabbed Mr Kittisak three times. He stabbed Mr Kittisak only once “up close”, and slashed his leg, Anuphat said.
“I didn’t try to kill him. If I wanted to kill him I would have gone for his throat or stomach,” Anuphat explained.
Anuphat blamed drinking for the attack. “I was drunk every day because I broke up with my girlfriend and I was stressed,” he said.
Anuphat also blamed Mr Kittisak for spreading false rumours about him sleeping with Mr Kittisak’s wife.
“He drinks every day and I was told that he had been telling other people he drinks with that I was having an affair with his wife,” Anuphat said.
“This is not true. Many people have called me asking if it were true. I explained to them it was a little misunderstanding,” he added.
“I told him a thousand times to stop, but we ended up fighting,” he continued.
Anuphat said he went to Mr Kittisak’s house, located in Soi Muang Thong, to confront him about the rumours, but denied breaking the front door. “The door was already broken,” he said.
“I went there to talk, but he was already drunk and we ended up fighting, punching each other,” Anuphat said.
“I want to apologise to my friend. I felt guilty but I didn’t run away, I didn’t mean to run away,” he said.
Despite Auphat’s confession, police have yet to confirm that he has formally been presented with the charge of attempted murder.
Also despite Anuphat’s confession and the CCTV footage, police have made no mention of Anuphat facing drunk driving charges or even a fine for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorbike.