At 12.30am, Phuket Ciry police were called to the scene of a stabbing at Soi Thungkha 3 off Yaowarat road in Talad Yai.
Upon arrival at the scene, police found a man, identified as Nathapol Nukul, 26, lying dead in a pool of blood with knife wounds all over his body. A 4 inch blade was still in his right ear, and nearby was a Honda Click motorbike lying in the road and the handle of the knife.
Police later learned that Mr Nathapol was on his way back home after finishing work when he was stopped by a man about 30 metres from his rented room.
They talked and then the other man attacked Mr Nathapol with the knife, killing him, before fleeing the scene.
Employees at the Supercheap told police that Mr Nathapol had recently transferred another employee to another branch, and police believe this could be the motive for the attack.
Police know the identity of the transferred employee but further investigation is needed before an arrest warrant can be sought. Additional reporting by Ekkapop Thongtub