Update: All 12 suspects arrested in Koh Samui taxi driver case

Police have arrested all 12 suspects wanted in connection with the fatal attack on a Koh Samui taxi driver, marking the latest development in a case that has raised concerns over public safety, witness protection and confidence in the island’s tourism image.

Surat Thani Provincial Police said the case involved the death of Sikharin Phromcharoen, a taxi driver who was attacked in Bo Phut subdistrict, Koh Samui district, Surat Thani province, on May 24.

The latest police update identified Sikharin as 30 years old.

An earlier Nation Thailand report described him as 31 and said his family had portrayed him as a public-minded taxi driver who often helped transport pregnant women, elderly people, people with disabilities and low-income residents without charge.

According to police, investigators at Bo Phut Police Station gathered evidence and sought court approval for arrest warrants against 12 suspects believed to have been involved in the case.

Police had previously arrested 11 suspects. The final suspect, identified as Thawatchai, later surrendered to investigators at Sichon Police Station and was informed of the charges before being transferred to Bo Phut Police Station for further legal proceedings.

The charges include:

• Jointly committing premeditated murder
• Jointly possessing firearms and ammunition without permission
• Jointly carrying firearms into a town, village or public area without permission, reasonable cause or urgent necessity
• Jointly firing a gun using explosive material without reasonable cause in a town, village or public gathering area

Maj Gen Suwat Suksri, commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police, has been briefed on the operation and the progress made by all investigative teams.

He instructed investigators and relevant officers to handle the next stage of the case carefully and thoroughly, with particular emphasis on credible forensic evidence to strengthen public confidence in the justice process.

Police said the investigation has centred on a previous dispute linked to taxi passenger pick-up areas on Koh Samui.

An earlier report said the victim’s wife told Nation TV that her husband had previously had a disagreement with a group of black-plate taxi drivers after he picked up passengers through a ride-hailing application in an area claimed by others.

She said mediation had taken place before the incident and the family believed the dispute had been settled. Her husband then returned to work as usual.

The family later obtained video footage of the incident from a foreign tourist and submitted it to police as evidence.

The case also widened into concerns over witness and family safety. Sikharin’s wife, Onchuma, and relatives travelled to Bangkok with support from the Saimai Survive group to seek help from the Rights and Liberties Protection Department under the Justice Ministry.

The family said 11 relatives had left Surat Thani for Bangkok because they feared intimidation.

They also said they had been unable to hold funeral rites as usual, with the victim’s body still being kept at a hospital morgue.

Onchuma said the family wanted justice and did not want her husband’s death to be in vain.

She also said the family had received suspicious phone calls asking about their whereabouts, adding that she was especially worried because she had a baby aged just over one month.

Natthaphol Danjittrong, a specialist at the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said the ministry would provide legal advice, support the case process and consider protection for victims and witnesses.

The family could also seek compensation under the law on compensation for injured persons and expenses for defendants in criminal cases.

Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwpan earlier said the Royal Thai Police attached importance to the safety of victims and witnesses. Surat Thani Provincial Police were also due to coordinate with the Rights and Liberties Protection Department on witness-protection measures under the Witness Protection in Criminal Cases Act.

He said police would not tolerate influential groups or so-called mafia networks that caused distress to the public.

“No matter who the offenders are, police will proceed directly and decisively on every charge,” he said, adding that the case would be handled in a way that restored confidence among residents and tourists.

Maj Gen Suwat has also instructed police chiefs under Surat Thani Provincial Police to step up security measures in tourist areas to reassure residents and visitors.

He also ordered officers to maintain a visible presence in local communities, listen to public complaints and monitor tensions closely so that disputes or local problems can be resolved early before they escalate and affect public order or the island’s tourism image.