Hired killing of political rivals
An old-fashioned vote-getting tool lives on

By Jon Fernquest

Vote buying? Murder?

Both are potent weapons for winning Thai elections.

Who would dare ruin a politician's image if their fate was death?

Murder is on the menu for as little as 30,000 baht depending on the importance of the person

(See photo on right of police reenactment of the killing of a journalist after a confession).

Villager, vote canvasser, local politician, businessman, you name it, local gangs can deliver, and no one can stop them, not even the police.

If you live in the provinces, chances are you've known at least one person who has been knocked off.

The guy I used to exercise with was allegedly shot by a gunman hired by his wife when he arrived home after a game of golf one Sunday.

We can only say "allegedly" because hard evidence of the CSI variety that proves guilt conclusively is rarely collected in these cases. Even if the case does come to trial, it takes years and even decades to gain convictions (Read previous article).

A little bit worse than Zimbabwe (8.44) and a little bit better than Haiti (11.5), Thailand's murder rate (8.47) is ranked 31st in the world. If income and national wealth is taken into account Thailand certainly must rank near the top (See rankings, murder rates are the number of homicides per 100,000 people in one year).

Today's article gives an overview of the situation with the areas where gunmen are prevalent (see map on right) but the question remains:

Rise in hired killings feared

Dark influence on rise amid political discord, but police have bagged few gunmen or their gangs, writes Wassayos Ngamkham
WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM
15-12-2008

Police are struggling to arrest gangs of gunmen who are likely to become more active should a new election be called.

Deputy Crime Suppression Division (CSD) chief Prayon Lasuea has just finished a survey of "dark influence" for the last quarter of the year.

Police could do no more than keep a close watch on the most active figures in the assassination market, waiting for them to slip up.

With the nation's politics in turmoil, gunmen have become more active. If the House was dissolved and a new election called, assassins would step into high gear. Candidates would hire gangs to help them get rid of their rivals, party canvassers, and to gain influence over village heads.

These days, gangs can work across regions, which enhances their efficiency, but also makes them harder to catch, as most knowledge about gangs' movements tends to be concentrated locally.


"We don't have evidence to seek arrest warrants though we know who masterminded the killings," said Pol Col Prayon.

The CSD recently arrested one man on a blacklist of 10 wanted gunmen. Identified as Wanchai Boonluea, 26, he was caught in Muang district of Rayong province.

The success is considered small, compared with the number of gunmen in various camps, which are most active in the South and the Central Plains.

Pol Col Prayon said internal problems in the police force make the job of catching gunmen harder.

"Some police are in neutral gear, while transfers of officers interrupt the continuity of their work," he said.


Hired gunmen are most active in the southern provinces, from Chumphon to Phatthalung.

The chiefs of two major camps are hiding in Surat Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima. Police are following their five key gunmen, said Pol Col Prayon.

They were identified as Chaiyan Intarawijit, 44, from Chumphon, Sunan Wandi from Satun, Praporn Suwanro, 35, from Songkhla, Paisan Yonglao, 30, from Krabi, and Anan Anantarat, 46 from Surat Thani.

Many are wanted for robbery and drug offences, but not yet for murder, as police lack the evidence.

"We are keeping an eye on them," Pol Col Prayon said. "But we still do not have enough evidence to seek arrest warrants against them for murder.

Other gunmen are affiliated to 21 camps in the Central Plains, especially in Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Saraburi, and Lop Buri provinces.


Some gangs even have members who are former officers of the CSD. The Neng Lop Buri gang was involved in a plot to murder Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinasulanonda, while Seh Kad Lop Buri, which is led by a police lieutenant-colonel, was allegedly involved in a car bomb attack on then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, and nine bomb blasts on New Year's Eve the same year, according to Pol Col Prayon.

The eastern region is quieter than it once was, but is still under watch.

Former chief of the Klong Kew tambon administration organisation Supachai Nawatanapaiboon, and former MP from the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party Uthai Maniratanarot, were killed on Oct 28 in Chon Buri. Both were politicians in the province, and dark influence is suspected in their deaths.

Pol Col Prayon said gunmen are hired for 30,000-500,000 baht, depending on the importance of their victims, ranging from unknown villagers to local politicians and businessmen. Police caught few gunmen because, after killing their targets, gunmen often fled to stay with influential figures or powerful people who could protect them.

"Influential figures never fear the law," Pol Col Prayon said. "The shooting and bomb attacks which are still with us show law enforcement has no effect."


(Source: Bangkok Post, general news, Rise in hired killings feared, WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM, link)

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