Democrat ex-candidate suspects political motive
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Canvasser earlier worked for Pheu Thai; police suspect business spat
Saturday’s killing of Chutidet Suwannakerd might have been politically motivated, Demo-crat Party member and former candidate Tankhun Jitissara said yesterday in reference to the shooting death of his vote canvasser, who had earlier worked for Tankhun’s Pheu Thai rival Karun Hosakul.
“Chutidet was a good man without any enemies, so politics might be the only reason for his killing,” he said.
Tankhun, who was defeated by Karun in the general election, said Chutidet had worked hard helping flood victims in the Don Muang constituency.
Chutidet might have paid with his life for upsetting the power balance within the constituency, he said.
Karun had harboured a grudge and portrayed Chutidet as a Democrat spy, Tankhun added.
Karun denied any involvement in Chutidet’s death, saying he was as surprised as anyone.
He said he had no reason to attack Chutidet or Tankhun, since the two were never strong poll rivals. He could not explain why Tankhun linked politics to the Chutidet killing.
Chutidet was involved in two key businesses – a motorcycle taxi queue and the Buddha amulet trade, Karun said.
Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut conveyed the party’s deepest condolences to Chutidet’s family and called on police to unmask the perpetrators behind the attack.
“The shooting death happened in broad daylight in front of the family and huge crowds at a busy market,” he said.
Pol Maj-General Damrongsak Kittiprapat, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 3, said investigators were focusing on a business feud as a hypothesis.
Chutidet was known to have many business interests in Don Muang, he said, citing witnesses who overheard the victim making a heated telephone call over a business dispute.
Investigators have not ruled out any angles, including political conflicts, extramarital affairs and drug trafficking, Damrongsak said.
Pol Maj-General Supisan Pakdinaruenat, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said his team would join Don Muang police in solving the Chutidet case.
