Tragic Chain of Events
A senior police officer, Pol Col Vachira Yaothaisong, age 44, has been found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Pathum Thani. Pol Col Vachira was the immediate superior of Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, who was murdered at a dinner party last Wednesday. Both officers were part of the Highway Police sub-division 2.
The tragic chain of events began when Pol Col Vachira invited Pol Maj Siwakorn to the dinner party, where he was later killed by a gunman. According to Acting Commander Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, Pol Col Vachira was deeply saddened by the circumstances of Pol Maj Siwakorn’s death and blamed himself for inviting him to the event.
Signs of Distress
Pol Col Vachira showed signs of distress and was unable to sleep following the murder. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat had advised him to rest and even had a junior officer keep his phone to prevent any disturbances. Despite these efforts, Pol Col Vachira’s mental health continued to deteriorate.
Surveillance footage showed that he left a hotel in Muang Thong Thani at 4 am on Monday and returned to his house in Pathum Thani shortly before 5 am. A worried police friend later found his body after entering the house with the help of the officer’s wife, who provided the door entry code.
Investigation and Evidence
Forensic officers collected powder residue from Pol Col Vachira’s hand, as well as fingerprints from the cabinet where the gun was kept and the house door entry keypad. A spent bullet was found lodged in a robot vacuum cleaner at his residence.
The gunman responsible for Pol Maj Siwakorn’s death, Thananchai Mamnak, was killed in Kanchanaburi while resisting arrest. It is suspected that he was ordered to carry out the assassination by the party’s host, Praween Chankhlai, because Pol Maj Siwakorn refused to transfer his wife’s nephew to an elite motorcycle squad.
Other Officers Investigated
Pol Col Vachira was one of 28 police officers who attended the dinner party. All of them are currently under investigation, with six facing charges of obstructing the investigation in some way. The police are expected to conclude their investigation into Pol Col Vachira’s death soon.
