In a recent event, Praween Chankhlai, a Kamnan or former subdistrict head from Nakhon Pathom, was detained by the police. This decision was taken as a follow-up to a dinner gathering hosted by Praween at his residence, during which a highway police officer was fatally shot. The police took Praween to the Criminal Court on Saturday for his suspected involvement and the court hence authorized his detention. In addition to Praween’s detention, the police have petitioned the court for the arrest of four officers present at the party showing signs of complicity.
Further investigations by the police revealed that the fatal gunshot traced back to a policeman’s firearm. Additional enquiries indicated that an alarming total of 25 officers present at the function might be under scrutiny owing to the ease with which the assassin, Thananchai Manmak was able to slip away, and the subsequent discovery of the destroyed evidence.
A key witness and resident in Praween’s home candidly admitted to having concealed and buried the murder weapon near a waterworks agency’s reservoir in the Muang district. Upon revelation of this crucial piece of information, the police recovered the hidden gun wrapped in tablecloth fragment from the dinner venue, which is now due for a forensic examination.
The investigative team highlighted that last month, before the incident, a police officer from Nakhon Pathom, under the police welfare gun scheme, had handed over the firearm to Kamnan Nok. Kamnan Nok, in turn, had passed on the firearm to the shooter, Thananchai.
Praween, 34 years old, will be held in detention till 20th September during which time the police will proceed with their investigations and compile testimonies from approximately 30 eyewitnesses. According to law, a suspect can be held without formal charges for a maximum of seven 12 day periods, totaling up to 84 days. Praween’s legal representation, Chao Kaensawat, divulged that his client won’t be filing for bail but did not delve into further details.
The police are opposed to bail, citing Praween’s influence in his capacity as Kamnan of Tambon Thakong for nine years and his strong police connections. Evidence of this influence are parties he regularly hosted with police officers and officials of various statures for building relationships. His boastful claims of affiliations with politicians at local and national levels also weigh in against him.
The police fear that, if released on bail, he might tamper with evidence or intimidate witnesses.
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police chief who is overseeing the case, stated that convincing evidence was available indicating Praween had orchestrated the shooting. Praween, however, has refuted these allegations and insisted that Thananchai, who managed to escape the scene, was operating on his own. Witnesses’s accounts however contradict Praween’s statement as they recall him expressing anger towards the victim for turning down a transfer request for his nephew who was an officer.
After the incident, Thananchai was traced to Kanchanaburi the following morning when he was killed in a shootout while resisting arrest. Praween turned himself in on Thursday evening.
Praween’s opulently decked up home with its swimming pool and glass garage holding multiple luxury vehicles including a Bentley, Mini Cooper and a Mercedes-Benz does not go unquestioned for a man drawing a Kamnan’s salary of 12,000 baht a month. Local media reports reveal him as the proprietor of two construction companies, inherited from his father, which have reported revenues of 2.6 billion baht over the last five years.
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