THE MURDER of a Prachin Buri provincial councillor at the house of veteran politician and current Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) president Sunthorn Wilawan, 85, last evening (Dec. 11) seems to have stemmed from a fierce argument on who should run for the key post in an upcoming election as revealed in an nine-minute-long video clip, Amarin TV said this afternoon.
In this leaked clip Mr. Chaimet Sitthisanitphong, 48, the deceased provincial councillor, is heard arguing with Sunthorn, who is former deputy public health minister and is the father of Ms. Kanokwan Wilawan, a former deputy education minister.
It appears that Chaimet, who used to be a close friend of Sunthorn, wanted to run for president of PAO and wanted his support in the electoral contest but the latter had decided to field someone else.
Pol. Col. Prasong Siritipwanich, deputy commander of Prachin Buri Provincial Police, said six of Sunthorn’s aides who were in the house where the murder took place and Sunthorn himself have been charged with murder and possession of firearms.
He added that at approximately 7.30 p.m. Chaimet had arrived at Sunthorn’s house and talked to him for a while. After that he left but then returned again and this time got into a fierce argument with Sunthorn which led to two of his aides, only identified as Golf and Toon, chasing and opening fire at him on the second floor of the house leading to him falling down the stairs and dying.
Of the seven suspects six have been questioned as well as some eyewitnesses. The investigation team has collected the servers of all surveillance cameras both inside and outside the house which will help in working out the timeline of the events.
Initially police are opposing bail for all seven suspects because they are concerned about tampering with the evidence as this is an influential group and uses weapons with a large number found within the house.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: The deceased councillor Chaimet Sitthisanitphong, left, and veteran politician Sunthorn Wilawan, right.
Insert: Sunthorn Wilawan aides who have been arrested. All photos: Amarin TV
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