Thai gunman murders Kiwi on scooter

By ADAM RAY AND ANNA CHALMERS

A New Zealander living in Thailand has been shot dead while riding a scooter in the street.


Two people have been arrested over the death of Stephen Miller, but Thai police said the person who carried out the killing was still at large.

Several motives for murdering the former Waikanae man have been suggested in Thailand's media, including the possibility it was related to a previous conviction for importing steroids.

Mr Miller, 39, was killed last Thursday morning while travelling to a gym in the resort city of Pattaya, 150 kilometres south of Bangkok.

He worked in real estate and had lived in Thailand for three years.

Police identified Mr Miller from a New Zealand drivers' licence that he was carrying.

A Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman said Thai police had arrested a man and a woman. A third person, believed to have carried out the shooting, was being sought.

Family members have flown to Thailand but it was not known when Mr Miller's body would be returned to New Zealand. The Millers have asked for their privacy to be respected in the meantime.

A Kiwi policeman based at the New Zealand embassy in Bangkok had met police officers investigating the killing.

The Pattaya City News said witnesses saw two men on a motorbike pull up next to Mr Miller before the passenger, who was wearing a hooded jacket, shot him in the head.

It reported Mr Miller had four Thai wives and that he had been embroiled in a court dispute with one of them over property ownership.

The resort town newspaper said Mr Miller also had a previous conviction for illegally taking steroids into New Zealand.

Police were investigating whether the murder was related to that case, to Mr Miller's links with the property market, or the court case with his fourth wife, whom police have yet to identify, its website reported.

Thai police could not be contacted for comment.

Dramatic conclusion to the New Zealand murder case.

It appears that the recent case of murder involving the shooting of a New Zealand national has now come to its conclusion. Police Lieutenant General Jongrak, the Region 2 Commander of Police conducted this press conference and announced that the shooter had been located and his accomplice had been arrested along with one of Mr Millers' wives, Khun Gintana, who had been charged with conspiracy to murder. Also in attendance at this press conference were members of Mr. MillerтАЩs family from New Zealand including his wife, Mrs. Miller. A presentation of flowers to the General demonstrated their appreciation that the case had been solved in a speedy and professional manner. The two men accused of conspiring to murder Mr. Miller are Khun Walatit aged 24 who is already in custody and Khun Yiamwoot aged 25 who is accused of shooting Mr. Miller. He is now thought to be in Sonkla Province in the South of Thailand and a warrant has already been issued for his arrest which is expected to take place soon He is also the boyfriend of Khun Gintana who although claimed to be married to Mr. Miller, we can confirm that they never signed a marriage certificate. She was involved in an illegal steroid export business where the body enhancing drugs would be sold to other countries and the money would be sent to Khun GintanaтАЩs Thai bank account. Mr. Miller confronted her just before the murder and a physical altercation took place as he demanded she hand over the money from the steroid sales. Khun Gintana and her Thai boyfriend had formulated a plan to kill him and keep the money. Although the plan was successful Khun Gintana is now in custody and her boyfriendтАЩs arrest is imminent. A fascinating conclusion to a horrific murder case.