‘Big Joke’: Some people bought cyanide to commit suicide

POLICE investigation shows that a factory that sold cyanide to serial killings suspect Ms. Sararat Rangsiwutthaporn, or Am, had also sold some bottles to traders who in turn sold them to the general public with around nine to ten of the buyers having used it to commit suicide, Naewna newspaper said this evening (May 24).

Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, nicknamed Big Joke, said he went to the Department of Industrial Works this afternoon to find out more about the factory that sold cyanide for wrongful use.

Police are ready to submit a case report to the department for legal action as a consequence of the case against Sararat, the suspect in the cyanide deaths of 14 people.

Pol. Gen. Surachate said he had told the department’s deputy chief that there is enough evidence to prosecute this factory which had imported the lethal chemical for two purposes with one being for study and research and the other for factory operation.

“More than a thousand bottles of cyanide were imported but around 100 were sold to the general public for wrongful use. Am was one of them but another six traders also bought some and resold it.

“Further investigation shows that around nine to ten of the buyers had bought the cyanide to kill themselves.

“The traders are legally responsible because this is a criminal case due to the deaths. Although these traders have stopped selling, I will be giving details about all cyanide traders to the department for further prosecution,” he said.

Asked whether officials too were guilty of negligence in performing their duty, Pol. Gen. Surachate said details had to be examined first and if any are guilty legal action would be taken.

The department chief is already taking action because cyanide is a Type Three controlled substance, the most dangerous variety, thus must be strictly controlled.

He is also meeting the secretary-general of the Consumer Protection Board to get more information and move on mounting legal action under the Consumer Protection Act.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, left, and cyanide serial killings suspect Ms. Sararat Rangsiwutthaporn, right.

Front Page: Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn with an image of cyanide serial killings suspect Ms. Sararat Rangsiwutthaporn inset. Both photos: Thai Rath

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