The former head of a sub-district in Nakhon Pathom province, Praween Chanklai, aka ‘Kamnan Nok’, was sentenced to life in prison by the Criminal Court today for the murder of a highway police officer at Praween’s house on September 6th, 2023.
The court found the defendant guilty of consenting to one of his bodyguards, Thanachai Munmark, shooting Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, a highway police officer, during a dinner party held at Praween’s house in Muang district.
According to the prosecutor, based on the police investigation, several police officers, including the victim, were invited by Praween to a dinner party at his house on the night of September 6, 2023, during which the former sub-district chief sought a favor from the victim—helping his nephew secure a transfer to the motorcycle patrol unit of the highway police.
The victim refused, stating that he had to wait until October when the annual police transfers would take effect. Praween later challenged the victim to a whisky-drinking duel, which ended with the defendant being defeated.
According to the charge sheet, the defendant was heard demanding a gun and exclaiming that the victim could not be allowed to walk away.
One of Praween’s bodyguards, Thanachai, then pulled out his Glock handgun and fired several shots at the police officer, killing him at the scene.
Thanachai was shot dead by police several days later after fleeing the scene.
