THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Warrant issued for academic over gunning down of 2 colleagues on campus

Warrant issued for academic over gunning down of 2 colleagues on campus

Police yesterday suspected a dispute over academic qualifications may have led to the tragic gunning down of two doctorate-degree lecturers on a Bangkok university campus yesterday morning, allegedly by a colleague who also had a Phd.

The victims and the alleged killer were academics at Phranakhon Rajabhat University in Bang Khen district.
Police said the shooting took place in the fifth floor conference room of the university’s Buddha Wichalai building
They found victims – Pichai Chaisongkram, 56, and Nattapon Chumworathayee, 54 – with gunshot wounds on the back of their heads. Police collected nine 9mm spent cartridges and five bullet slugs from the scene. The bodies were sent for autopsy to Police General Hospital.
Acting Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-General Sanit Mahathaworn said that Pichai and Nattapon had been about to carry out an oral examination of a Masters degree female student, who was accompanied by a male friend.
Sanit said witnesses had told investigators that Wanchai Danaitamonut, 60, suddenly barged in with a 9mm pistol and shots were allegedly fired at the two men.
The suspect reportedly fled in a Nissan sedan towards Ram-Indra Road.
Pol Maj-General Charoen Srisasalak, the chief investigator, said an arrest warrant has been issued for Wanchai on charges of murder and possessing a weapon and ammunition without a permit.
Sanit said police were told by other colleagues and staff members that the double murder might have stemmed from a personal dispute between Pichai and Wanchai who had both filed complaints calling for probes into the other’s academic qualifications.
Police so far have no information about whether Natthapon was involved in the dispute. Sanit said police were seeking Wanchai for questioning.
Sanit alleged Wanchai had last week asked about the date, time and place of the exam prior to the shooting.
After a meeting with Bang Khen investigators in the afternoon, Sanit said they were told to make a speedy arrest to restore people’s confidence after the crime in a university campus.
He said police would seek the cooperation of Wanchai’s relatives in convincing him to come in for questioning.
Although the motive was initially believed to stem from an academic qualification dispute, Sanit said police wouldn’t rule out other motives just yet.
Meanwhile, a police source quoted a relative of the suspect as saying that he seemed to be under stress but he did not know the reasons.
In his last Line chat, the suspect had told the relative that after his death, his body should be cremated at a temple in the relative's area.

RELATED
nationthailand