A TOTAL of 25 policemen who had attended a party given by a village headman in Mueang district of Nakhon Pathom province where their colleague, a highway police, was shot dead on Wednesday night (Sep. 6) were today (Sep. 8) transferred to national police headquarters, Matichon newspaper said this evening.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Achayon Kraithong, a police spokesman, said National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittipraphat had ordered Pol. Gen. Visanu Prasarttong-Osoth, police inspector-general, to quickly check the facts in this case by coordinating with the investigation team led by Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, nicknamed Big Joke, the deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 7 and the Central Investigation Bureau.
Being investigated is why the suspects were allowed to escape and the evidence at the scene of crime destroyed, he said, adding that strict action will be taken against any policeman found to have committed a criminal or disciplinary offence.
Early this morning the man suspected to have shot dead Pol. Maj. Siwakorn Saibua at this party was himself killed by a police team in Kanchanaburi province.
A Central Investigation Bureau operational unit had found out that the suspect, Mr. Thananchai Manmak, or Nong Thapha, 45, was hiding in an abandoned factory behind Phra Thaen Dong Rang temple, Tha Ruea sub-district, and at 5.45 a.m. surrounded it to arrest him.
However the armed suspect fired at the police team in trying to escape and was then shot dead in the exchange of gunfire.
Meanwhile the village headman, Mr. Praween Chanklai, or Kamnan Nok,who had earlier surrendered to police, denied all charges during interrogation that lasted five hours today.
Although he had applied for and was denied bail at Nakhon Pathom he is still allowed to again apply for temporary freedom and will be taken to the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek road tomorrow morning to do so.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Achayon said as Kamnan Nok is a local politician and influential in this area of Nakhon Pathom, Pol. Gen. Damrongsak had transferred his case to the Central Investigation Bureau.
CAPTIONS:
Top: The village headman Mr. Praween Chanklai, or Kamnan Nok, right, with the suspected killer of the policeman who was shot dead this morning Mr. Thananchai Manmak, or Nong Thapha.
Insert: Pol. Maj. Siwakorn Saibua who was shot dead at a party in Kamnam Nok’s house on Wednesday night, Sep. 6.
Front Page: A scene from the party with the suspected gunman who was shot dead while trying to escape inset. All photos: Matichon
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