Cop Charged With Killing Man at Pathum Thani Police Station

Pol.Col. Korawat Hanpradit, chief of Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station, speaking to reporters on 8 June 2015.

PATHUM THANI — A police officer has been charged with premeditated murder for fatally shooting a 30-year-old man at a police station in Pathum Thani province yesterday.

Police say Assaneechaiyapol Charoenwinit was shot in his right rib cage by Police Lance Corporal Paisit Onsongchan at Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station at around 4:30am on Sunday morning.

According to the station’s chief, Pol.Col. Korawat Hanpradit, the officer said he was manning his desk and interrogating six suspected drug dealers when Assaneechaiyapol suddenly burst into the police station wielding a knife. 

Assaneechaiyapol reportedly refused to stand down and lunged toward the police officer, leading Pol.Lc. Paisit to fire two warning shots, Pol.Col. Korawat said.

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After those shots reportedly failed to stop Assaneechaiyapol, Pol.Lc. Paisit shot at him directly. He later died from the gunshot wound at the hospital.

Pol.Col. Korawat said police are investigating Pol.Lc. Paisit and have charged him with premeditated murder.

"I'd like to express my condolences for relatives of the deceased," Pol.Col. Korawat said. "We will give fairness to both sides." 

Asssaneechaiyapol's father, Jirapong Charoenwinit, said he didn’t believe police’s account of the story, especially after they refused to show him CCTV of the incident. 

He described his son, who recently received a Bachelor's Degree and was preparing to start a Master's, as very well-behaved.

"All I have heard is just words from mouths of the police," he said. "When I demanded to see the CCTV footage, the entire station told me they didn't know how to play the tape. I only want to see the CCTV footage … if my son was indeed at fault, I would not demand anything from the police."

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Assaneechaiyapol's family brought his body in a coffin to the Government House's complaint center, where they urged the military government to investigate the incident, 8 June 2015.

Pol.Col. Korawat said today that police would not release footage of the incident for the moment, "because it is an important piece of evidence. It may affect the investigation." 

Assaneechaiyapol's family brought his body in a coffin to a complaint center near the Government House in Bangkok today, where the relatives filed a formal complaint urging the military government to investigate the incident.
 
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