Canvasser working for Chat Thai Pattana Party shot dead in Chiang Rai

A canvasser working for Chat Thai Pattana Party shot dead in Chiang Rai, however likely out of personal conflicts with his local rivals, local police said.

In Lampang, assailants opened fire on a restaurant owned by Phansak Khamkaew, former mayor of Khelang Nakhon municipality in Muang district late Friday night, causing damage to the building but no casualties. The the case was just known when a complaint was lodged with police yesterday.

Phansak cited conflicts he had with local politicians as the possible reason, and police said the conflicts should stem from his and fellow Phue Thai councillors’ veto of a Bt65 construction project against decision by the municipality management.

In Ayutthaya, a fake bomb was abandoned 300 metres away from the local Phue Thai Party office. Police received a call from a scavenger reporting his find at 3.30 pm three large plastic pipes tied together with a circuit of an alram clock set to ring at 6 pm.

At a rice market in Mae Chan district in Chiang Rai, Nimit Kaewkamphol, a canvasser of CTP Party executive Pradit Pattaraprasit, was gunned down during a heated argument with Pramote Khongthong, who allegedly shot him dead before a large crowd or rice farmers.

Quoting witnesses, police said both Pramote and Nimit, head of Phai Khwang Tambon Administraive Organisation (TAO), had long been enemies over their purchases of rice from farmers. Pramote has reportedly contacted police for possible surrender in the near future.

In Bangkok’s Bueng Kum district, police ruled that the gunfire attack last week on the home of Jaroen Jehsaman, a canvasser of Democrat Party, had stemmed from his personal conflicts, not his political role. Police repeated a theory that he had angered legal wives whose husbands were stolen by women who cast love mantras on the men.

From five election candidates who have requested initally for police protection during the runup , the number has risen to 49 last week and 123 as of yesterday, while vandalisng of election banners and cardboards is increasing.

A total 232 policemen have been assigned to stay close to those candidates, whose names and locations are not provided by the police, during the rallies and at their homes.

A total of 84 people have been arrested for vandalising 269 election banners and cardboards of various parties, and will be charged for criminally causing property damage. Police call on the public to report such cases at 1599 around the clock.

Two men have turned themselves in to police, following a police annoucement calling on career gunmen on a blackllist to their surrender, or “face drastic measures.”

The men are Thanakrit Wongthongdee, the 58th in the 75person raking, and Suwit Choosawas, the 73. Both them, who have previously had Bt50,000 each on their head, have been wanted for multiple murders, including killings of political canvassers two years ago.

Pol General Phongsaphat Phongjaroen, the director of the police’s centre handling security during the political rally, commented that eggs were not regarded weapons if not hitting their intended targets, referring to an incident in which two eggs were thrown at Pheu Thai Party’s Yingluck Shinawatra during her rally at Lumpini Park on Saturday.

Press Release By The Nation