Man Shot to Death in Hat Yai for Failing to Take Urine Test

A soldier and two defence volunteers have surrendered after the shooting death of a fish vendor in Hat Yai, southern Thailand. The fish vendor allegedly failed to stop for a urine check which lead to a chase in Hat Yai district.

The vendor was shot six times in the head, limbs and body. A window and windshields of his truck were shattered and its right tire was shot out.

Sgt Maj Songwut Boonrat, 33 of the 42nd Military Circle, and volunteers Ploenchai Suwannarat, 41, and Pradit Julnuan, 33, turned themselves into police on Thursday.

Shot Gun Handed Over

At the police station, the three did not answer reporters’ questions. Pol Maj Gen Thiwathawat Nakhonsri supervised the separate questioning of the three men. A shotgun used in the murder was handed over to police for examination.

Mrs. Mareeya Khepan, the 32-year-old wife of the vendor, said her husband had phoned her and told her in shock that a pickup truck had been following him. He told her people on the vehicle had shot at his truck’s tire while he was shipping fish heads to a fish-meal factory in Hat Yai.

The vendor Dueramae Surong, 33 then told his wife that government officials had ordered him to get out his truck for a urine test. He refused to do so and wanted to talk to her first. Then she heard a dispute and lost phone contact.

The woman rode her motorcycle to the scene only to see her husband shot dead at the driver’s seat.

Dash Cam of Victim in Hat Yai

Police found from the dashboard camera of the victim’s truck that the white Isuzu pickup truck of the attackers had waited on the road about 100 meters ahead of the scene. When the victim’s silver Isuzu truck passed it, it overtook it and blocked its way.

A man got off the white truck with a shotgun and walked toward the victim’s vehicle, followed by its driver. Another man arrived there on a motorcycle before the shooting began. It lasted about five minutes and then the three left the scene. The dashboard camera footage captured their faces clearly.

Police quoted the three as saying that the two defence volunteers called the victims to stop for a urine test but the victim did not stop.

Conflict with Brother in Law

Mrs Mareeya, the wife, said her husband had a conflict involving the fish trade with his brother-in-law who had stabbed him a month ago in Hat Yai. He had been discharged from a Hat Yai hospital shortly before being killed on Wednesday, she said.

She said she feared for her safety because she had to drive past the houses of the two volunteers every day.

The wife of Sgt Maj Songwut, who did not tell her name, said her husband had nothing to do with the murder. He only knew the two defence volunteers and was just a passer-by.

Source: Bangkok Post