Police officers including National Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda were clapped and cheered by the public today as they announced not only the arrest but the confession of the Robinson Gold Shop monster with a strong evidentiary trail. However, police still cannot accept some aspects of the killer’s story which raises disturbing questions. Not least, how can a man like this have been in charge of young children at a primary school?
Thai police have arrested the man who murdered three people at a gold shop hold up in Lopburi on January 9th last including little 2-year-old Panuwich Wongyu. The killer that police have uncovered, however, is as demented and perverted as the crime he committed. 39-year-old school director Prasittichai Khao Kaew has told astounded police officers that he carried out the robbery and murders for kicks and threw the gold valued at ฿500,000 into the Chao Phraya river in Singburi.
Thailand’s National Police Chief revealed details of the case following confirmation today that police and commandos had arrested the man responsible for the heinous murders of three people, including a 2-year-old child, during a gold robbery at the Robinson Department Store on January 9th last.
Police General Chakthip Chaijinda revealed that police had obtained a warrant for the man’s arrest on Tuesday evening from Lopburi Provincial Court following a week of investigating that gradually confirmed a tip received from concerned citizens familiar with the man responsible for the crime.
A civil servant and superintendent of a primary school
He has been named at 39-year-old Prasittichai Khao Kaew, a civil servant and teacher who held a responsible position as Superintendent of Wat Pho Chai School in neighbouring Singburi province.
Police are promising a full and more extensive press conference tomorrow Thursday 23rd January. However, so far, the information about the suspect is as perverted as the abominable crime he committed.
Sick photos of the man celebrating children’s day two days after he gunned down a 2-year-old toddler
For a start, he is the director of a primary school teaching small children. Photos of the man celebrating Children’s Day have surfaced days after he left a heartbroken mother cowering in tears over the lifeless body of her 2-year-old little boy Paniwhich Wongyu.
Mr Prasittichai murdered the little toddler with a switch of his hand almost as an afterthought on the night he brought mayhem, evil and suffering to the Robinson Department store when he also took the young life of a 31-year-old Thai woman and a diligent security guard.
Arrested on Wednesday by police and commandos on Highway 311 – murder suspect did not resist
Following up a tip from last week and some initial evidence confirming the veracity of the information, the 39 years was arrested by a combined team of commandos and police on Highway 311 this Wednesday morning in Lopburi as he headed to work at the school.
It has also emerged that the man was a trained firearms coach and physical education instructor at the school.
Black Bangkok registered BMW 5 series car
Police stopped him early on Wednesday driving a black Bangkok registered BMW 5 car. He offered no resistance as police read out the warrant and took him away.
Indeed, the sick killer told astonished police officers when taken into custody that he had expected to be arrested for this appalling crime.
Wanted to spice up his boring life
The 39-year-old has admitted to the atrocity and explained that he undertook the attack on the department store and the murders to spice up his mundane life as an alternative to killing himself.
He told police that he had, at some point, determined to take his own life but his attack was an alternative he had belatedly decided upon.
Borrowed the gun from his ex-policeman father
He explained to police officers that the advanced and sophisticated Czech made CZ SP-01 was owned by his father who is an ex-police officer. The red and white Yamanh Fima motorbike was borrowed from his father in law.
Crime Suppression Police key to solving the puzzle
Police received a tip-off about the suspect 7 days ago and officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) led by Police Major General Jiraphob Puridet worked with local police to put together the evidence and case for the arrest warrant.
Arrested in Lopburi, ammunition found in his car
The arrest of the suspect took place today at Tha Wung District in Lopburi. Police searched the BMW the killer had been driving but did not find a murder weapon. They did, however, find 9mm ammunition used by the gun.
Showed officers the spot in Lopburi where he discarded the clothes used at the Robinson centre
After initial questioning, officers took the killer to a secondary road in the Mueang area of Lopburi where the 39-year-old Mr Prasittichai took off his clothes on the night of January 9th and dumped them.
He also told police that he had thrown the gold robbed from the shop, estimated to be worth ฿500,000, into the Chao Phraya river in the Mueang district of Singburi.
Crowd gathered and cheered the national police chief
On Wednesday, a crowd gathered and cheered as the Thai national police chief revealed details of the arrest and the killer’s admissions suggesting that the man had some remorse for his actions.
The police chief also mentioned that police have firearms as evidence to link the man to the crime and it has also been reported that conclusive DNA evidence has also been obtained.
Father of murdered 31-year-old girl denied his daughter has any link with the murderer
Separately, the father of murdered 31-year-old Thidarat Thongthip, the beautiful young woman working at the Aurora Shop at the Robinson centre, who was murdered that night by the crazed killer we now know have been Prasittichai Khao Kaew, a school director and civil servant, has come forward to refute internet speculation that his daughter was involved romantically with the murderer saying he had never seen nor met the man before.
Further reading:
Party over for 45 year old composed armed robber who took ฿4 million in Bangkok gold shop raid
Police near closing the ฿9 million gold robbery case in Khon Kaen as the last suspect returns
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