Police have apprehended a Myanmar man who used a pestle to strike the head of a 79-year-old grocery store owner, killing him at his home in Soi Nakkee Laemthong 40 before robbing him and fleeing.
The incident involved a perpetrator using a pestle to strike and kill Mr. Thawatchai Siwilai, 79, owner of a grocery store, during a robbery at his residence in Soi Nakkee Laemthong 40, Thap Chang Subdistrict, Saphan Sung District, Bangkok. The crime was discovered on the morning of 24 August.
Most recently, at 07:00 on 26 August 2026, under the direction of Pol. Maj. Gen. Pallop Aermla, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Pol. Maj. Gen. Chotiwat Luangwilai, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's investigation division, Pol. Maj. Gen. Kampanat Arunkirirote, Commander of Police Region 4, Pol. Col. Wichai Narong, Deputy Commander of Police Region 4, Pol. Col. Thanyaphat Boonsuk, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's investigation division, Pol. Col. Thosaphon Amphaipipatkul, Chief of Prawet Police Station, Pol. Col. Wichit Theerakajornwong, Chief of the Investigation Division 1, Metropolitan Police Bureau, Pol. Col. Chakraphan Osathakarn, Chief of Investigation Division 2, Metropolitan Police Bureau, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Suebsak Yuttapansirikul, Deputy Chief of Investigation, Prawet Police Station, and Pol. Lt. Col. Jittichai Rattanaworapradit, Deputy Chief of Operations, Prawet Police Station, joined forces.
They arrested Mr. Khun Chit Oo, 25, a Myanmar national, under an arrest warrant from Min Buri Criminal Court No. J1395/2569 dated 25 August 2026, on charges of robbery causing death. Confiscated evidence includes some stolen items such as a gold necklace, gold ring, mobile phone, cash, and the clothing worn at the time of the offense.
The arrest took place at a construction site in Soi Thetsaban Bang Pu 39, Tai Ban Mai Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Prakan District, Samut Prakan Province, on the night of 25 August.
Following the arrest and interrogation, authorities havetaken the suspect to reenact the crime scene according to his confession, at the location of the incident and at a dormitory in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 52/1, where the suspect fled to change clothes after the crime.
The reenactment was conducted with the suspect’s consent and cooperation, with security personnel ensuring order throughout the process. Afterwards, the suspect was handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.
Pol. Col. Thosaphon Amphaipipatkul, Chief of Prawet Police Station, stated that during questioning, the suspect admitted to killing Mr. Thawatchai. Investigation including CCTV footage confirmed the suspect had lived in an apartment behind the victim’s house for about three months before moving out to work as an electrician near Ramkhamhaeng. On the night of the incident, the suspect arrived at the scene around 10:00 p.m., hiding in an abandoned apartment. The victim turned off the lights around midnight, at which point the suspect climbed into the house.
The suspect then tried to search for valuables while Mr. Thawatchai was asleep in his bedroom on the first floor. Hearing unusual noises, the victim came out with a flashlight and a long stick for self-defense. The suspect was hiding behind the kitchen door when they confronted each other, leading to a struggle in the kitchen that resulted in the fatal incident. The suspect stated he was unsure how many times he struck the victim's head with the pestle but confirmed that after the victim collapsed, he struck his head once more until he was motionless. He then took the victim's belongings back to his room near Ramkhamhaeng before fleeing to a worker’s camp in Bang Pu, his former workplace.
The Prawet Police Chief added that the motive was solely theft, as the suspect had been a customer of the victim and believed the victim was wealthy and lived alone. On 27 August, investigators at Prawet Police Station will present the suspect for indictment and detention at Min Buri Criminal Court in accordance with the law.