Victim’s kin demand execution for ‘killers’

Relatives of a Chinese man whose body was found in a suitcase pulled from the Ping River have demanded the death penalty for his killers, after two of the four hunted suspects were caught in Myanmar.

The body of Wang Jun, 30, a Chinese national, was cremated at Wat Bo Samsen in tambon Nong Pling of Muang district of Kamphaeng Phet yesterday.

Arrest warrants have been issued for four of his Chinese compatriots on charges of premeditated murder.

Watchanon Thanachotchayapha, a legal adviser for the family, said relatives would take the victim’s ashes back to China for religious rites in his hometown.

They were expected to return there today.

Wang’s parents were deeply saddened by the loss of their only son, Mr Watchanon said.

He quoted the family as saying that Wang Jun came to Thailand to work, but they were unsure of his occupation as he travelled to many countries. They were shocked to learn of his murder.

All the relatives insisted they had never seen the suspects before. Their faces were unfamiliar. They wanted police to bring them all to justice and that they face the death penalty, the lawyer said.

“Unofficial autopsy results show the death was caused by suffocation with signs he was hit in the back of his head with a hard object,’’ said Mr Watchanon.

A black suitcase containing Wang’s body, his arms and legs tied, was discovered floating in the Ping River in Muang district of Kamphaeng Phet on Feb 25.

On Feb 29, Pol Maj Gen Raweephan Amornmuneephong, chief of Kamphaeng Phet police, said investigators obtained warrants for the arrest of the four men from the provincial court on charges of colluding in a murder, illegal detention and concealment of a body.

The suspects were identified as Xiao Xiang Yu, Hu Zheng Xiong, Fan Gang Gang and Qin Miao. Police believed they fled to Myanmar.

In Tak, deputy national police chief Pol Gen Suchart Theerasawat met senior provincial and regional police yesterday to follow up the investigation and coordinate with Myanmar police in the handing over of two suspects who were caught there.

A source said Myanmar police arrested Fan Gang Gang and Qin Miao at Insein pier in Rangoon.

They also arrested a Myanmar woman, Aung Hlaing Win, who was with them.

Seized from them were a rental car, two fake Myanmar ID cards and 232,000 kyat (5,200 baht).

The two other suspects remain at large.