Police have apprehended a 35 year old man, the suspect in the shooting of 54 year old man in Phatthalung. The suspect, Teerapong, also known as Boy, had evaded capture by hiding in a rubber plantation after a bounty of 100,000 baht was placed on his head.
The arrest operation was carried out by the Centre for the Prevention and Suppression of Influential Figures and Contract Killers, Region 9 Provincial Police, in collaboration with the investigative team from the Region 9 Police and officers from the Crime Suppression Division and Khuan Niang Police Station, Songkhla province.
Teerapong was wanted under a warrant issued by the Criminal Court dated May 24, 2024, for multiple charges including premeditated murder and attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, carrying firearms in public without permission, and being part of a criminal gang.
Investigations revealed that Teerapong frequently changed his place of residence, making it difficult for law enforcement to apprehend him. Informants later reported that he was hiding in a rubber plantation in Rat Phum subdistrict, Khuan Niang district, Songkhla province, and was also involved in drug dealing in the area.
The police executed a raid on the rubber plantation, where they found Teerapong standing with a gas-powered long gun leaning against an ant mound. He was arrested immediately.
A search of the premises uncovered three bags of crystal methamphetamine weighing 1.5 grammes, four methamphetamine pills hidden in his bedding, and 11 rounds of ammunition. Teerapong was taken for questioning at Khuan Niang Police Station, where a urine test revealed the presence of narcotics in his system.
Additional charges were filed against him for possession of category 1 drugs (crystal methamphetamine and methamphetamine) without a permit, drug use, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The arrest warrant was issued following Teerapong’s involvement in the shooting of Prasarn White Bear Pabon, a prominent figure in the area, while he was operating a tractor in village 4, Nong Thong subdistrict, Pabon district, Phatthalung province, on February 25. Teerapong had been on the run since then.
By the end of May, the Crime Suppression Division had surrounded a targeted residence and arrested six people involved in the conspiracy, including local politicians and a police officer at the inspector level, in Songkhla and Phatthalung provinces, reported KhaoSod.
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