Theerarat
Suthathiwong
Police have arrested one of eight suspected Cambodian
motorbike thieves wanted in connection with the shooting death of a
Banglamung police volunteer in Takientia.
Sa Wan, 22, was apprehended as he bought food in a
Takientia market June 12. He is alleged to be one of 11 illegal migrants
who have been stealing motorbikes from area villages and selling them to
border agents in Srakaew for up to 5,000 baht each. Police claim the
gang has stolen more than 100 vehicles already and that Sa was
responsible for keeping the group stocked with food and beverages.
It’s unknown, however, whether Sa was present the day
before when armed police volunteer Sirichai Siripitoon, 31, was shot and
killed while investigating the thieves’ camp at a cassava plantation in
the hills above Nawang-Pongsaket Road.
The body of Sirichai, a 38-caliber pistol still in
his hand, was discovered near the gunshot-riddled corpses of two alleged
thieves. The unidentified Cambodian victims were both armed with 9 mm
handguns and small explosives.
Takientia Sheriff Monthien Bunkrajang said he’d asked
Sirichai to accompany him to investigate the camp after receiving
reports the suspected bike thieves were hiding there. He told Chonburi
police investigators they encountered five men who opened fire on them.
Monthien said he and Sirichai returned fire in self-defense.
It’s unknown whether Monthien or Sirichai shot dead
the two Cambodians.
Because police volunteers have not gone through
proper police training, which can and sometimes will end in unfortunate
situations such as that which ended Sirichai’s life, police volunteers,
by law, are supposed to be unarmed.
Three of the five men at the camp fled and all of the
remaining suspects are believed to be still in the area.
