Land dispute caused local politician to murder

Two men arrested over land dispute

(C) Bangkok Post

Last updated on May 7th, 2021 at 05:51 am

A local politician in Northern Thailand has shot and killed a woman while arguing over a block of land in a heated land dispute on Monday. The shooting occurred about 9.30pm at a house in Lampang Province.

According to Thai Media, Nian Futhima, 56, and her husband Boonruang, 59, were sitting on a bamboo bed behind the house. Sawat Khammuangchai, 62, a former deputy chairman of the local organization, walked over from his house to join them. Mr. Boonruang said Mr Sawat and his wife began to argue heatedly. He was looking away from them when he heard a gunshot. He turned to back to them and saw his wife had been shot in the neck and was bleeding profusely.

Mr Sawat was immediately detained by neighbours. He admitted to killing the woman in anger over the block of land. Saying she had spoken abusively and also causing him to lose face. Pol Maj Gen Anucha Uamcharoen, the Lampang police chief, said the motive was not political, although a local election was drawing near. He said the two quarrelled over a block of land. Nian had bought the land from Mr Sawat, but Mr Sawat had refused to legally transfer ownership to her. Furthermore Mr Sawat was charged with premeditated murder.

A man and his son have been arrested for making false statements and embezzlement over a land dispute. A land dispute that also led to multiple a shooting in a Chanthaburi courtroom last year. Police in Chanthaburi Province in southeatern Thailand executed a  warrant on Wednesday morning. They arrested house owner Boonchuay Charoensathaporn, 80, and his son Kittipong Charoensathaporn, 43.

The two men were wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court. They were wanted on charges of making false statements to the court and officials, and colluding in embezzlement. The arrests came after the Athitham Mahathat Witthayalai Foundation file a complaint with police.  Mr. Boonchuay allegedly embezzled the foundation’s 3,800 rai of land in Chanthaburi province. Mr Boonchuay is accused of giving false statements to the Civil Court and officials when applying for land title deeds. The arrests came after the Athitham Mahathat Witthayalai Foundation filed a complaint with police against Mr Boonchuay. The younger brother of the late Phra Kittiwuttho Bhikkhu, former chairman of the foundation.