The Incident
A tragic incident occurred last week at the house of Praween Chankhlai, chief (kamnan) of tambon Takong sub-district in Nakhon Pathom’s Muang district. A highway police officer, Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, was shot dead during a dinner party, attended by nearly 30 police officers. The event has shaken the community and raised questions about Praween Chankhlai’s business and the involvement of other officers.
The Crime Scene and Police Involvement
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn reported that 28 police officers were present at the dinner party when a gunman fired multiple shots at Pol Maj Siwakorn, killing him on the spot. Initially, it was believed that 26 officers were at the crime scene; however, recent information revealed that there were two more.
The 28 officers were divided into three groups: those who brought the injured officer to the hospital, those who helped the suspects, and those who fled the scene immediately. Pol Gen Surachate emphasized that the officers who brought the injured to the hospital are not necessarily innocent, adding that they will be held responsible if they made false statements.
Along with the police officers, five civilians were charged with various crimes, such as destroying evidence by throwing CCTV servers into the water, burying the pistol used in the shooting, and cleaning up bloodstains and concealing spent cartridges.
The police are currently working to retrieve data from the damaged CCTV servers, which is expected to take about three days.
The Business of Praween Chankhlai
The Department of Special Investigation discovered that Praween Chankhlai ran two construction companies that won bids for over 1,000 projects worth approximately 3.5 billion baht between 2015 and 2022. Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew, acting commander of highway police, said he would ask officials to examine Praween’s business, which also included trucks.
Pol Maj Siwakorn was known for his honesty and strict enforcement of truck overloading laws, which may have contributed to the tension at the dinner party. A supervisor had ordered Pol Maj Siwakorn to attend the gathering in an attempt to reconcile their differences. During the event, Pol Maj Siwakorn refused to transfer Praween’s nephew, also a policeman, to a preferred post.
Ongoing Investigation and Justice
Praween Chankhlai is suspected of having a gunman shoot Pol Maj Siwakorn in retaliation for his refusal. Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew vowed to bring justice to the fallen officer, stating, “Before his last breath, I touched his head and promised that his seniors and juniors at the Royal Thai Police Office will bring him justice.”
The police, along with other organizations like the Revenue Department, will continue to investigate the businesses and transactions of the suspects involved in this case. The community awaits justice for Pol Maj Siwakorn and a resolution to this tragic incident.
