Jealousy may have triggered Bangkok murder

The body of Natthawat Piansakul, 27, with a single gunshot in the head was found Saturday night beneath an abandoned taxi on Soi Prachacheun 4 in Bang Sue district. His head was wrapped in a black plastic bag. 

Police say Surasit Chanwongsakul, 30, arrested within hours, confessed to killing the tutor out of jealousy because he was dating his former girlfriend.

No charges had been filed as of press time Sunday.

Surasit was arrested at 4am Sunday, allegedly with a pistol and a roll of red duct tape in his car, after police had spoken to Natthawat’s girlfriend, Sasikan Khantapthai, 26.

The body was found in Surasit’s neighbourhood and police staked out his house, intending to apprehend him when he came outside. 

He nevertheless managed to drive 100 metres before losing control of his car and crashing into roadside shrubbery. 

Surasit allegedly confessed to picking up the victim on November 7, shooting him in the head and hiding the body under a broken-down taxi he had purchased. Surasit reportedly planned to move the body elsewhere in another car. 

Just as he was preparing to move the body late Saturday evening, though, a construction worker noticed the corpse and alerted police. 

Sasikan approached police as they were inspecting the scene and said she’d heard that Natthawat had entered a red Ford car before he disappeared. She’d also heard that her ex-boyfriend, Surasit, had recently bought a car that matched that description.

She recalled that he’d threatened to kill whoever she became involved with next.