Killer withdrew money several times from the former diplomat’s bank account on Thursday, September 28th, as he fled Bangkok for Chiang Rai, where he later crossed into Myanmar. The 63-year-old victim was stabbed multiple times in the chest by knives found by police at his home in two separate attacks during which menacing financial demands were made of him.
A former Thai Ambassador to Denmark was murdered by a 19-year-old Burmese national contracted to work in his home at the end of September. Police at Sutthisan Police Station on Monday said that a Red Notice had been issued for Mr Sai Myat Moe, who it is thought had an indirect relationship connection with 63-year-old Vichit Chitvimarn, a former diplomat and National Intelligence Agency advisor who retired from government service in September 2020. The murder occurred on September 28th, with the body only discovered by police on Sunday, October 8th, on the second floor of a luxury three-story residence in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok.
Thai police in Bangkok have issued a Red Notice through Interpol for a 19-year-old Burmese man who is believed to have murdered the former Thai ambassador to Denmark at the end of September.
The body of Mr Vichit Chitvimarn was found on the second-floor toilet area of his three-story house in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok after contractors had arrived at the residence on Sunday morning and could not gain entry.
The workers noted a nauseating scent permeating the area around the house and were alerted by neighbours who had similarly noticed this over the previous days.
Former diplomat found in the toilet area on the second floor of his property, stabbed multiple times in the chest with two knives from his kitchen
Responding to a callout in one of Bangkok’s oldest areas, officers from Sutthisan Police Station forced their way into the property.
They found the former ambassador in the toilet area on the second floor of his luxury home.
He was covered over with cardboard sheeting.
Later on Sunday, a briefing by Police Major General Noppasilp Poonsawat, a Metropolitan Police Bureau Deputy Chief, revealed that the 63-year-old victim had received three fatal stab wounds to the chest area.
Police ascertained that the murder weapons matched two of the five knives set in the home’s kitchen.
Upon examining the property, investigators found that the first and second floors had been ransacked in what appeared to be a robbery and a murder.
17-year-old teenager initially questioned, reported to be a stepchild of the former diplomat. Police are investigating the relationship dynamics
It led police initially to question a 17-year-old teenager reported to be a stepchild of the former diplomat who was also the biological offspring of a contractor who had been working at his house.
The former diplomat retired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 2020, having held various positions abroad, including the Consul General for Thailand in Kunming, China and Osaka, Japan.
He was later appointed Thailand’s Ambassador to Denmark in Copenhagen. The ambassador was also an advisor to Thailand’s National Intelligence Agency.
On Sunday and Monday, as a police forensic team conducted an extensive examination of the three-story home on Soi Vivaldi 20 in Chatuchak, Mr Sai Myat Moe, a home decorator, was named as the main suspect by police.
The nineteen-year-old Myanmar national had been at the diplomat’s home for three days before the murder.
19 year old, arrived at the home on September 25th, former ambassador was murdered on September 28th in a violent attack starting on the first floor
In the days up to when Mr Vichit died, which is believed to be September 28th last, the suspect worked at the residence.
The 19-year-old Myanmar national, identified as Mr Sai Myat Moe, is understood to have fled Thailand on the day after carrying out the murder and withdrawing money from the former diplomat’s bank account.
Mr Vichit had only moved into the luxury Chatuchak home on September 9th and was living alone.
Police Major General Attapol Anusit, the commander of Police Metropolitan Division 2, told reporters on Monday that CCTV footage taken from the scene showed Mr Sai Myat Moe arriving at the victim’s home on Monday, September 25th, to begin work.
The camera footage, observed by police, showed Mr Vichit opening the gate and admitting the contractor into his home.
Former Ambassador made to transfer money in first assault and then attacked a second time for his PIN access, after which he was murdered with a knife
The incident which led to Mr Vichit’s death is understood to have occurred on Thursday, September 28th, with the former ambassador being assaulted at the outset on the first floor of his home.
He was then accosted again on the second floor after fleeing his attacker.
Police believe Mr Vichit was forced to hand over the PIN or access to his ATM card to the Burmese man at knifepoint.
Once he had conceded this, the sole suspect in the case is believed to have stabbed him repeatedly, leaving him dead in the toilet area.
Police believe that the Burmese man then took valuables from the property, including an iPad and Mr Vichit’s smartphone, which were also used for withdrawing cash from the victim’s account at ATMs at a shopping mall in the Lad Phrao area of Bangkok and another location.
Violent murder outlined by police from Sutthisan Police Station on Monday by a senior Metropolitan Police officer after two days of collecting evidence
The outline of what happened to Mr Vichit was given at a press briefing at Sutthisan Police Station addressed by Police Major General Attapol on Monday.
Police, since Sunday, had collected both forensic and CCTV evidence.
He said that on Thursday, September 28th, the killer had called a taxi after initially withdrawing money using the victim’s account.
He then stopped at two ATMs and withdrew an amount of ฿22,000, followed by a second amount of ฿34,200 using Mr Vichit’s mobile phone and his iPad.
The killer then travelled to the Mo Chit bus terminal, purchasing a ticket to Chiang Rai province.
Burmese killer fled Bangkok for Chiang Rai and crossed into Myanmar in the early hours of Friday, September 29th, after stealing cash from the victim
His initial bus broke down, forcing him to take a second one later in the evening.
The 19-year-old arrived in Chiang Rai early on Friday morning, September 29th and at 7:22 am, crossed over into Myanmar.
Police in Bangkok have already confirmed this with the Immigration Bureau in the Northern Province and requested authorities in Myanmar to assist with the murder suspect’s arrest, seeking his extradition to Thailand.
Officers are trying to establish the exact nature of the relationship between the accused and the deceased.
Police emphasise that they are only looking for one person concerning the murder of the former ambassador.
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