Thonglor police investigation team swiftly arrested the suspect who killed and dragged a body before dumping it in the pond at Benjasiri Park. It was revealed that the victim knew the suspect, who was also homeless and they regularly drank alcohol together. The suspect was taken for detention at the South Bangkok Criminal Court, with the investigating officer opposing bail.
At 22:00 on 21 Aug 2016, Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuruj Limsangkat, deputy investigator of Thonglor Police Station, received a report of a male body found drowned in front of Benjasiri Park on Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan subdistrict, Khlong Toei district, Bangkok. He promptly went to the scene with Police Lieutenant Colonel Arttawut Nilsang, head of investigation, forensic officers, medical examiners from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and volunteers from Ruamkatanyu Foundation.
At the scene, a pond in front of the park, the body of Mr. Wichai Kanya, 39, from Kamphaeng Phet province, was found lying face up submerged in the water. The body was retrieved for autopsy, revealing multiple injuries on his body.
The investigation team reviewed CCTV footage from the area, clearly showing the assault before the suspect dragged the victim's body and threw it into the pond.
Mr. Thanwa Thana, a witness, stated he saw a dark-skinned man with short hair and a beard assaulting the victim around 21:00 on the same day, dragging the body and throwing it into the pond at Benjasiri Park. Afterwards, the suspect informed the park's security guard about the incident before fleeing.
Security guard Mr. Waiyakorn Petschuay of the park confirmed the man did come to ask for help. He could recall the man's appearance and helped the police review the park's CCTV footage. The investigation team then tracked down the suspect, Mr. Tawisak or Tom Phanngam, 38, on the sidewalk along Ratchadamri Road next to Lumphini Park, Lumphini subdistrict, Pathum Wan district, Bangkok. The man matched the CCTV images.
Mr. Tawisak, also known as Tom, confessed to committing the crime. He was arrested and charged with "murder" and legal proceedings will continue.
At 08:30 on 22 Aug 2016, Police Colonel Ratthanon Ekthitikulpat, chief of Thonglor Police Station, revealed that the investigation team arrested Mr. Tawisak Phanngam, 38, at 05:12 on 22 Aug near the sidewalk on Ratchadamri Road beside Lumphini Park. He was initially charged with "murder." The victim was later identified as Mr. Wichai Kanya, 39.
At 09:40, police took Mr. Tawisak for further interrogation before bringing him for detention at the South Bangkok Criminal Court the same day. Reporters tried to ask about the motive for the crime and why the victim’s body was thrown into the pond at Benjasiri Park.
Mr. Tawisak said they had an argument but denied it was about money. He said he disliked the victim because the victim sexually harassed tourists inside the park and did not want him to stay there anymore. Regarding the details of the harassment, he suggested asking others who were present in the park.
Police investigations and witness statements revealed the victim was homeless and had been living near the park for about a month. The victim frequently drank alcohol and caused disturbances, such as public intoxication, indecent exposure, and sleeping naked in the park.
The victim and suspect were known to each other as homeless individuals who often drank together near the park. When they had no money, they begged passersby and used the money to buy alcohol to drink together.
On the night of the incident, the victim was drinking with the suspect near the pond in front of the park before they started fighting. The victim was found unconscious at the pond’s edge, after which the suspect threw him into the water and fled, later to be arrested.
At 10:13, Thonglor police took Mr. Tawisak Phanngam, charged with intentional murder, to the South Bangkok Criminal Court for detention. The investigating officer opposed bail in the detention request.
Reporters asked Mr. Tawisak why he committed the crime and why he threw his friend into the pond. At first, he refused to comment but then admitted there was an argument. He said the victim was not unconscious but still aggressive and uncontrollable, so he threw him into the water to restrain him and calm him down.
When asked why the victim became aggressive, Mr. Tawisak said he did not know what stressed the victim but noted that this was typical behavior for him.