25-2-2024 (BANGKOK) A mentally ill and intoxicated policeman ran out of his police flat in Nakhon Si Thammarat, kicking over a passing motorcycle before repeatedly stabbing the two men riding it, resulting in the death of one victim.
Pol Col Somporn Nitipak, the chief of Cha-uat police station, confirmed on Sunday that Pol Sgt Chavanil Jindamaneemas, aged 30, was apprehended and subsequently dismissed from duty following the tragic assault.
The deceased victim was identified as Wijitra Rakkhanam, aged 51, while the other woman, Prapha Yamyuean, aged 69, sustained serious injuries. The assailant stabbed them multiple times in the face, neck, and back.
According to Pol Col Somporn, Pol Sgt Chavanil had recently been transferred from Phuket and was receiving treatment for stress. He was assigned as a backup driver at the police station.
The incident unfolded on Saturday evening when Pol Sgt Chavanil accidentally drove his car into a pit. As a tow truck arrived to assist in pulling the vehicle out, the driver overheard the police sergeant engaging in an angry conversation with his mother over the phone. Advising the officer not to scold his mother, the tow truck driver became the target of Pol Sgt Chavanil’s rage. The quick-thinking driver managed to escape unharmed as the disgruntled sergeant attempted to stab him.
Following this confrontation, the sergeant returned to his flat and shortly thereafter launched his attack on the female victims. As the motorbike approached, Pol Sgt Chavanil rushed out of his door, forcefully kicked the bike to the ground, and embarked on a stabbing frenzy. Promptly, other police officers from the station rushed to the scene and apprehended the assailant.
Pol Col Somporn revealed that after the assault, Pol Sgt Chavanil underwent a blood alcohol test that confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol.
The two female victims were vendors who primarily resided in Songkhla province. They had temporarily returned to Cha-uat district to visit relatives and were en route to see them when they fell victim to the attack.
In the aftermath of the incident, several relatives of the victims arrived at the Cha-uat police station on Saturday, demanding to see the attacker in custody. The sergeant briefly expressed his remorse to them, but the enraged relatives loudly cursed him before eventually being persuaded by the police to leave the station premises.
