Democrat Khanchit sought in murder

The provincial court yesterday approved the warrant.

The sole suspect, a son of Democrat veteran Anek, a multiple-term MP for the province, was charged with the premeditated murder of Udorn Kraiwat-nusorn. 

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Party leader and opposition head, was aware of the warrant but decided not to react, pending police taking regular steps to deal with the case, party spokesman Chavanont Intharakomalsut said.

Pol Lt-General Harnphol Nijwibool, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7, had earlier hinted about the identity of the suspect, but did not specify his active political status, describing him as “a national politician whose conflicts with victim Pheu Thai Party-affiliated Udorn Kraiwatnusorn were known”.

Harnphol said later, referring to the suspect’s parliamentary immunity, that police would consult with the Parliament president about proper procedures.

“The victim and the suspect were often seen nagging each other when they met. This could have multiplied their political rivalry, leading to the conclusion,” he said. The suspect has left Samut Sakhon and was being tailed by undercover detectives, he added.

“He will be arrested on sight since the warrant is approved,” he said.

Police are studying whether the vehicle that appeared near the scene in surveillance footage and followed the suspect had played a role or assisted in the shooting, he said.

Before Khanchit’s identity emerged internally from police intelligence reports and was later confirmed, investigators relied mainly on security camera recordings showing a man resembling him firing at the victim at a petrol station in Muang district. They also had eyewitness accounts and initial forensic results from the crime scene to work with.  The suspect could have met the victim by chance and committed the crime in an outburst of anger, he said. A police sketch obtained earlier from eyewitnesses has proved positively that the suspect’s identity matched that of Khanchit, he said.

Udorn was the president of the Samut Sakhon Provincial Administra-tion Organisation and chairman of the Samut Sakhon football club. 

A trajectory study was underway using the murder weapon, a .40 automatic permitted for use by the general public.

Udorn was shot while visiting the petrol station across from a Big C store on his way to a wedding reception, he added.

Jessadaram Temple in Muang district is hosting Udorn’s funeral from yesterday to January 31.