Praween Chanklai, aka “Kamnan Nok”, who allegedly ordered the killing of a highway police officer during a party at his house in Nakhon Pathom on September 6^th last year, in front of over a dozen other police officers, was sentenced to two years in prison today.

Fifteen officers who partied at the house at the time of the shooting and did not intervene to stop the shooting, allegedly by a body guard of Chanklai, were sentenced to serve jail terms of 16 months to two years without suspension by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases.

Chanklai was found guilty of attempted murder and of ordering the shooting of Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, an inspector of Highway Police Sub-division 2 at the party. The officer had, reportedly, denied Chanklai’s request that his nephew be promoted, resulting in a quarrel between the two men and the shooting to death of the officer.

The court found all the 15 police officers, with the ranks from a major down to master sergeant, guilty of malfeasance in office and dereliction of duty. One officer, MSgt Apirak Rotepuang was, however, acquitted.

One civilian, an aide of Chanklai, Chatri Khieutap, was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison.

Five other defendants, who are all civilians, were given suspended sentences.

The gunman, Nong Thapha, was shot dead by the police in Kanchanaburi province the day after the murder.

The police investigation of the case was led by then the deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.