Nakhon Pathom —
The commander of a murdered highway policeman, Pol. Maj. Sivakorn Saibua, has reportedly shot and killed himself at a private residence in Pathum Thani Province, after being accused of calling the now deceased Pol Maj Sivakorn to attend the suspect’s dinner party.
First our previous story:
Now for our update:
Pol Col Wachira Yaothaisong, the commander of Highway Police Sub-division 2, was found dead at his house in Pathum Thani on Monday, September 11th.
Pol Col Wachira was one of 25 police officers present at the dinner party of the detained sub-district headman, Praveen Chanklai, who allegedly ordered his right-hand man, Thananchai Manmak, to shoot and kill Pol Maj Sivakorn, the chief of highway police station 1.
Wachira was the commander of Sivakorn. He was accused by senior police of inviting Sivakorn to attend the sub-district headman’s birthday party, where he was shot dead after refusing to bypass normal procedures to promote the suspect’s relative to a higher position in the police force.
Wachira was being investigated for negligence by the Inspector General of Police. He had also been transferred to an inactive post, along with all other officers present at the party.
Police suspected that Wachira died by suicide due to the pressure of the investigation.
The death of Pol Maj Sivakorn also prompted two high-ranking policemen in Nakhon Pathom Province to be transferred to inactive duty, including Pol Maj Gen Chakkrit Khruesunthornwanich, the Provincial Police Commander of Nakhon Pathom, and Pol Col Phuphon Thapcharoen, the Superintendent of Muang Nakhon Pathom Police Station.
So far, six police officers at the party were formally charged with assisting the cop-killer, Thananchai, who was now deceased after having allegedly resisted arrest and having been shot by Thai police, in escaping the crime scene and helping Praveen’s staff destroy evidence. They have also been fired from the police force, and their bails have been denied by the court. Some of them reportedly confessed to the allegations.
Praveen, on the other hands, continued to deny all allegations at the time of reporting and maintains his innocence.
