On this date, July 20,
2021, the Thai Court of Appeal upheld a death sentence imposed last year on a
former school director when he was convicted of murdering three people on
January 9th 2020 during a gold shop robbery in Lopburi and wounding four others,
a crime which at the time stunned the kingdom and for which the public demanded
retribution.
The shooter, Prasittichai Khaokaew should join Somkid Phumphuang (Serial Killer), Artur Segarra Princep (Body Parts Killer), Ronnakorn Romruen (Rapist), Wanchai Saengkhao (Pedophile) and any of
those on Thailand’s death row as Thomas Aquinas was quoted in his writing:
"If a man is a danger to the community, threatening it with
disintegration by some wrongdoing of his, then his execution for the healing
and preservation of the common good is to be commended. Only the public
authority, not private persons, may licitly execute malefactors by public
judgment. Men shall be sentenced to death for crimes of irreparable harm or
which are particularly perverted."
Death penalty for crazed school director who
murdered a 2-year-old boy upheld by court
July 21, 2021 at 4:23 pm
by James Morris and Son Nguyen
in Crime, Thailand
The events of Thursday the 9th January 2020 at 8.40 pm at the Robinson
Department Store in Lopburi shocked Thai people throughout the kingdom. A
concealed figure dressed in military-style clothing appeared to shoot and kill
indiscriminately leaving three dead in his wake, a security guard, a beautiful
young woman and 2-year-old toddler as well as four people wounded for a bag of
gold valued at ฿650,000.
The Court
of Appeal upheld the death sentence imposed on Mr Prasittichai Khaokaew, a
former school director, who on the 9th of January 2020 murdered three people
including two-year-old Panowich Wongyu as he carried out a bizarre and deadly
armed robbery at a shopping centre in Lopburi which he later told police was
for kicks.
28-year-old
Prasittichai Khaokaew as he was taken to court on August 27th last year to hear
the death sentence handed down to him. On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal upheld
the penalty via a judgment delivered by video conferencing and described the
former school director’s actions as ‘cruel and inhumane’. The crazed gunman
used an advanced handgun with a silencer to shoot down seven people in a bloody
and botched gold shop robbery in Lopburi last year in which 3 people lost their
lives, a security guard, 2-year-old toddler and a salesperson at the store that
was held up.
The Court
of Appeal, on Tuesday, upheld a death sentence imposed last year on a former
school director when he was convicted of murdering three people on January 9th
2020 during a gold shop robbery in Lopburi and wounding four others, a crime
which at the time stunned the kingdom and for which the public demanded
retribution.
The
verdict of the higher court was read out via a teleconference facility from the
court sitting at Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok.
Court looked at the facts of the appalling case
It
appears from the court’s ruling that the defendant had technically not appealed
the murder conviction but it took the opportunity under the law to consider the
matter and pronounce judgment after considering the facts of the case.
On the
night of January 9th 2020, the then 28-year-old defendant, Prasittichai
Khaokaew who was approximately 5 ft 7 in height or 170 cm entered the Robinsons
Shopping Centre wearing a balaclava and military camouflage clothes.
The
attacker came equipped with an advanced handgun fitted with a specially adapted
silencer which was owned by his father and which was traced by police
investigators linking him to the crime.
Police
later backed this up with DNA testing on clothes worn by the perpetrator.
Bullets shot at shopping centre security guard hit the two-year-old
toddler as he walked with his mother
The
defendant first shot Mr Prasert Konglee, a security guard at the centre.
However,
in a tragic twist to the affair, the bullets fired by the armed robber hit
2-year-old Panuwich Wongyu as the toddler was happily walking in the shopping
mall with his mother, Wilaiwan Wongyu.
The
little boy died as his distraught mother cradled him in her arms as panicked
scenes in the shopping centre emerged, the situation made more confusing by the
killer’s silent handgun.
Murdered a 31-year-old shop assistant as he fired at customers at the
store wounding them
The
defendant then made his way to the Aurora Gold Shop where he promptly shot and
wounded two customers who had been buying gold at the shop identified as Mr
Yuttakan Chunsanit and Ms Vibhavadi Chunsanit.
He then
committed his second murder when he shot dead a 31-year old saleswoman at the
counter of the store, Ms Thidarat Thongthip, who refused to cooperate with him.
Her
father later recalled the loss of his beautiful young daughter with her life
ahead of her.
The
killer subsequently told police that he had not meant to kill the saleswoman
but his finger got stuck on the trigger.
The
defendant then jumped over the counter and grabbed 31 gold pieces and other
jewellery with a total value of ฿650,000
into a bag and took off, making his escape from the store.
Killed security guard who attempted to foil his escape
He was
intercepted by a second security guard, Mr Theerachat Nimma, who locked an
automatic door only to be shot dead by the defendant who smashed his way out
before riding off on a 2009 Yamaha Fino motorcycle with black and red trimmings
owned by his father in law.
Master
of lies and death, the gold shop killer’s life, actions and motives probed by
police as wife flees
The
bizarre and grotesque nature of the robbery and murder was confirmed when the culprit
was later tracked down and arrested on January 22nd by Crime Suppression
Division (CSD) police and armed officers who detained him on the road to his
place of work at the Wat Pho Chai School in Singburi province where he was the
director.
He was
taken from a 5 series BMW into police custody by heavily armed officers.
If an offender has
committed murder, he must die. In this case, no possible substitute
can satisfy justice. For there is no parallel between death and even
the most miserable life, so that there is no equality of crime and
retribution unless the perpetrator is judicially put to death. – Immanuel Kant
Son of a former policeman attended a Children’s Day celebration at his
school the day after murdering 2-year-old Panuwich Wongyu in Lopburi
Investigators
working on the case, to their horror and disgust, had earlier discovered that
the suspect had spent the day after murdering three people, including an
innocent 2-year-old boy, at a Children’s Day celebration at his school in
Singburi.
It also
emerged that he was the son of an ex-police officer.
The
killer, known as ‘Golf’, had been married for over three years but it is
understood he was in financial difficulties.
Borrowed ฿2 million
from Krung Thai Bank, fined ฿600,000
for owning an illegal Z4 BMW car
He had
borrowed over ฿2 million from Krung Thai Bank
and also, in his past, police discovered he had a Z4 series BMW seized by
authorities after it was found to have been imported illegally.
He was
fined ฿600,000 for ownership of the car
he allegedly purchased for ฿300,000.
His
school director’s salary was ฿30,000 a
month.
School
director pleads guilty in court to murder and other charges after Lopburi
shopping centre massacre
During
interrogation by investigating police officers, at one point, he told them that
he had committed the robbery for the kicks knowing full well he would be
identified and arrested later.
Wife forced into hiding as killer’s arrest last year drew spontaneous
applause from the press and the public
After the
killer’s arrest, his wife was forced into hiding as public anger over the
outrage vented itself.
His
arrest at the end of January drew spontaneous applause from reporters and the
general public alike when announced by then National Police Commissioner,
General Chakthip Chaijinda, who prioritised the case.
Cruel, inhuman and contrary to peace and justice, the court found no
basis to grant mercy in the case
The
court, on Tuesday, did adjust the interest payable on compensation ordered for
the victims of the crime and families from 7.5% to 5% citing a new law that
made such an order necessary.
However,
it found the actions of Mr Prasittichai and the circumstances of the case to be
so cruel, inhuman and contrary to justice and peace, that it was impossible to
commute or grant mercy.
It upheld
the death sentence imposed by the court on August 27th last year, a verdict
greeted, at the time, on both sides of this terrible affair, with tears and
emotion.
INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2021/07/21/death-penalty-for-murdering-school-director/
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=148609157355082&id=101692122046786
The man suspected of shooting dead three people, including a young boy, and severely wounding four others is Prasittichai Khaokaew, 38, the director of Wat Pho Chai School in nearby Muang district of neighbouring Sing Buri province.
Death sentence imposed on school boss
who murdered a 2-year-old boy in a gold shop robbery in January
August 28, 2020 at 12:23 am
by James Morris and Son Nguyen
The callous and egregious nature of the crime committed at
the Robinsons Shopping Centre in Lopburi last January deeply shocked the public
not only in Thailand but around the world. The fact that the masked killer in
black turned out to be a primary school headteacher, weeks later when the
arrest was made, was another vile twist of fate in a story that has caused so
much devastation and loss.
A murderer was served with justice in a Bangkok courtroom
on Thursday when the death sentence was handed down to a 28-year-old former
school director of Wat Pho Chai School in Singburi, Prasittichai Khaokaew. The
court’s decisive ruling drew emotional reactions both from the families of the
victims and those of the accused man.
"In
criminal law legislation, our priority is the security and well being of
law-abiding citizens rather than the rights of the criminal to be protected
from incriminating evidence." – Lee Kuan Yew
The
condemned man, Prasittichai Khaokaew, a former Singburi school director, is
seen arriving in court to hear his fate on Thursday. He was sentenced to death
to emotional scenes from the family of his victims and his own kin. The court
found him guilty of the intentional murder of 2-year-old toddler Panuwich
Wongyu as well as shop assistant Thidarat Thongthip and security guard
Theerachat Nimma on January 9th last at the Robinsons Shopping Centre in
Lopburi.
A
killer who once was a school principal in an elementary school in Singburi
turned around to look at his relatives in dejected silence on Thursday morning
at a courtroom in Bangkok as they lost control and became emotional when he was
sentenced to death.
On
Thursday, January 9th last, Prasittichai Khaokaew, also known as Golf, a well
to do and married school administrator who drove an expensive BMW car, walked
into a crowded shopping centre in downtown Lopburi and unleashed terror and evil.
He was masked, dressed in black and heavily armed with both the necessary
firepower and criminal intent.
Within minutes, three people, including a two-year-old
toddler in his mother’s arms, were dead
Within
minutes, he had gunned down three people including a security guard at a gold
shop, a young sales assistant and tragically, one of his bullets hit a two-year
old little boy walking nearby with his devoted mom. Little Panuwich Wongyu died
in his crazed mother’s arms.
The
killer was using a state of the art handgun with a specially adapted silencer.
If the death penalty was
not imposed then "wrong really has finally totally triumphed over right
and all civilised society, all we hold dear, is the loser." - John
Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
Crime flashed to news sites worldwide
The
crime was flashed to the news channels and immediately drew international
coverage not just in Thailand but the rest of the world. It was a callous,
cowardly and selfish act based on greed.
There
were few in Thailand, this Thursday, who have even scant sympathy for this
monster posing as a human being.
Told bewildered police after he was arrested that he
committed the crime for the ‘thrill’
The
accused, at one point, told police that he undertook the crime and
escapade for the thrill of it. Today, it was revealed that he had, through his
lawyers, presented his weasel words to the court seeking mercy on the basis
that he had pleaded guilty and that through his overreaching lifestyle, he had
been driven towards evil by the fear of what would happen if he could not meet
his ballooning debts.
Murderer’s wife became another victim
Mr
Prasittichai’s despicable act not only took three lives that evening but later
caused his own wife to flee from her home such was the vitriol directed towards
her due to her husband’s shameful and inhuman behaviour.
The
killer’s father was a retired police officer whose name he used to purchase the
advanced firearm and to which he added a sophisticated silencer that was
eventually to lead diligent Thai police to the door of his BMW car one morning
as he travelled to work in Singburi as the boss of a children’s school.
Used father in law’s motorbike and purchased the firearm and silencer in his
father’s name
He
even used a motorbike owned by his father-in-law to commit the perverted act
when dressed from head to toe in black and military fatigues, he terrified the
Robinson Shopping Centre in Lopburi and robbed over ฿650,000 in gold jewellery scooped into a
bag.
Most
of the gold was later recovered except the lives that he took and the lives
that he destroyed can never be brought back.
38-year-old Prasittichai
Khaokaew as he was taken to court on August 27th last year to hear the death
sentence handed down to him. On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal upheld the penalty
via a judgment delivered by video conferencing and described the former school
director’s actions as ‘cruel and inhumane’. The crazed gunman used an advanced
handgun with a silencer to shoot down seven people in a bloody and botched gold
shop robbery in Lopburi last year in which 3 people lost their lives, a
security guard, 2-year-old toddler and a salesperson at the store that was held
up.
Court Delivers justice on Thursday morning
The
killer was brought, this Thursday, from Klong Prem Central prison in Bangkok to
courtroom 714 at the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek Road. Therein, the grim
sentence was handed down.
The
judgement made it clear that the court was satisfied that, based on the
evidence before it, the man had carried out the crimes.
It
noted that his confession, and evidence given to police, was of some value but
observed that he failed to give testimony to the court while pleading guilty to
his appalling crimes.
Guilty of intentionally murdering 2-year-old Panuwich
Wongyu, a young woman and guard
The
court pointedly noted that the murderer had not surrendered himself to police
despite later explaining to investigating officers that he knew, all along,
that his arrest was inevitable.
The
court also held that when Mr Prasittichai raised his pistol that night to gun
down the security guard, Mr Theerachat Nimma and young shop assistant Thidarat
Thongthip, in the commission of the gold shop robbery, he also was responsible
for the consequence of this which was the intentional murder of little
2-year-old, Panuwich Wongyu.
No basis for mercy under the law
Overall,
on that basis, the court judged that there was no possibility of remitting the
heavy sentence that should be applied to Mr Prasittichai.
It
said that his actions must be answered with justice and sentenced him to death.
It
noted the seriousness of the crimes and further judged the man to be a real
threat to society.
The
strong judgment of the court led to emotional outbursts from some relatives of
the victims but when the death sentence was imposed, the killer’s family also
reacted. Some of them sobbed openly in court.
This
caused him to turn and observe some little instance of the grief and pain he
inflicted with his 9mm handgun fitted with an advanced noise suppressor.
INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2020/08/28/death-sentence-school-boss-murdered-2-year-old-boy-lopburi-gold-shop-robbery/
OTHER
LINKS:
https://www.thephuketnews.com/death-penalty-upheld-for-gold-heist-schoolmaster-80753.php
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7915281/Police-arrest-HEADTEACHER-Thai-shopping-mall-massacre-turned-wife.html
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1841459
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7872309/The-guilt-not-protecting-son-overwhelming-says-mother-boy-2-shot-dead-Thai-mall.html
