Khon Kaen gunman ‘acted out of revenge’

>>KHON KAEN: The gunman held in the killings of two young men in Khok Pho Chai district claimed he acted out of revenge over an earlier brawl, police said.

Manphong Chamni-ngarn, 27, told investigators one of the victims and his associates had assaulted him and opened fire at him at a merit-making event two weeks ago. District police yesterday took Mr Manphong, a resident of Ban Khok village in the district, for a re-enactment of the crime.

He has been charged with premeditated murder in the killing of two men at Ban Khok on Wednesday night, police said. Kokiart Chanasri, 18, was found dead with gunshot wounds to his head and chest on Wednesday. Theerayuth Faitee, 23, sustained gunshot wounds to his forehead and was taken to a hospital, but later died. The suspect surrendered on Friday night.

Yesterday, police first took Mr Manphong to a moo krata pork barbecue shop, where he had gone to meet with his wife on Wednesday evening. While they were there, the suspect told police, he had noticed Kokiart and Theerayuth eating nearby. After the men left on a motorcycle, Mr Manphong told his wife to finish her meal and wait for him. He then left on a motorcycle, police said.

He told police he parked his bike on a side street about 300 metres from the restaurant, near a house where Kokiart and Theerayuth were talking to another man, identified as Tao. The suspect said Theerayuth pulled out a gun when seeing him. Mr Manphong told police he fired at Theerayuth, striking him in the leg. He then turned his gun on Kokiart to silence him. The teenager died on the spot.

He then chased Theerayuth into a forest area behind a house nearby, firing two shots. He later died.