Phuket –
A local motorcyclist who was recently bailed out for allegedly killing two fellow motorbike taxi drivers was arrested after reportedly shooting another taxi motorcyclist in front of the Phuket New Bus Terminal on Thepkasattri Road in Mueang Phuket District Saturday night, December 4th.
Mueang Phuket police and officials from the Investigation Division arrived at the scene after being notified of the incident around 10:30 PM. A taxi motorcyclist was found lying in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his head and chest. He was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.
Three 9mm casings and a bullet were also discovered at the scene. The expanding investigation led to prime suspect Wien Eadchuthong, 60, who was reportedly spotted leaving the crime scene and rushing back home.
Three hours after the identification, Wien was taken for initial interrogation at the police station where the police also noticed and collected gunshot residue on his hand.
The investigation exposed that the 60-year-old alleged gunman also owned a tour company and a car rental company near the scene. He was previously arrested over charges of killing his two motorbike taxi driver colleagues in late January 2021 at the same bus station before being recently bailed out in April.
According to local witnesses, the alleged shooter was riding his motorbike with his son and told him to wait for him at his tour company nearby before starting to approach the 54-year-old victim, who was later identified as Champa Wanchan.
The two men started talking casually for a while without any suspicion as they reportedly knew each other, according to the witnesses. However, about three shots were heard shortly after that. Wien then reportedly came to talk to a witness, asking him to send his son home before Wien rode a motorcycle away from the bus station.
Wien was detained at the Mueng Police Station and initially charged with premeditated murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, carrying firearms in public without permission, and shooting guns in public without justifiable reasons.
The incident led to many comments on social media asking why a suspect who had reportedly killed two men previously had been allowed bail and general questions around Thailand’s bail system.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–=–=–=–==-
Need Covid-19 insurance for your next trip to Thailand? Click here.
Follow us on Facebook
Join us on LINE for breaking alerts!
