January 24th, 2006, 05:57
A senior city hall official with responsibility for agreeing or refusing building permits has been shot to death near his home in Soi 777, Naklua. Mr Marut Chonlahan had gained a reputation for honesty in his work and had been known to refuse planning permission if there were doubts about land ownership or legal technicalities. There are now fears that he was murdered by dark forces whom he may have offended.
On January 6, at 10.30 p.m., Banglamung police officer lieutenant colonel Jakorin Tuasupa was called to an area behind Boonleu Trading Company and was accompanied by head of Banglamung police district, colonel Warattachai Sripratanawutti. They found Mr MarutтАЩs wife, Mrs Glenlaya Chonlahan, trying to assist her husband who had been shot once in the face and twice in the hip. He was rushed to the Bangkok Pattaya hospital but died later that night from his grave injuries. Mrs Glenlaya told investigators that she and her husband had been to a party on Thepprasit Road and had returned home quite early. She got out of the car to go into the house while her husband prepared to park for the night, but then heard three gun shots. It was then that she discovered the body of her husband. She did notice two men in the darkness, but it was too dark for her to identify them or to note the plate number of their vehicle. Mr Marut was the senior officer closely involved in the zoning of property districts, a controversial post which he acquitted with diligence and honesty. If he found something wrong in a planning application, or was suspicious of the authenticity of documents, he did not hesitate to halt building programmes. Police sources say it is too early to draw any conclusions about the motives for the murder, but accept that work related enmity is a prime candidate for consideration.
http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?a ... ws&id=1460 (http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=1460)
On January 6, at 10.30 p.m., Banglamung police officer lieutenant colonel Jakorin Tuasupa was called to an area behind Boonleu Trading Company and was accompanied by head of Banglamung police district, colonel Warattachai Sripratanawutti. They found Mr MarutтАЩs wife, Mrs Glenlaya Chonlahan, trying to assist her husband who had been shot once in the face and twice in the hip. He was rushed to the Bangkok Pattaya hospital but died later that night from his grave injuries. Mrs Glenlaya told investigators that she and her husband had been to a party on Thepprasit Road and had returned home quite early. She got out of the car to go into the house while her husband prepared to park for the night, but then heard three gun shots. It was then that she discovered the body of her husband. She did notice two men in the darkness, but it was too dark for her to identify them or to note the plate number of their vehicle. Mr Marut was the senior officer closely involved in the zoning of property districts, a controversial post which he acquitted with diligence and honesty. If he found something wrong in a planning application, or was suspicious of the authenticity of documents, he did not hesitate to halt building programmes. Police sources say it is too early to draw any conclusions about the motives for the murder, but accept that work related enmity is a prime candidate for consideration.
http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?a ... ws&id=1460 (http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=1460)