Prosecutors charge suspect with murder in Bangkok

Local prosecutors said yesterday that the suspect in the shooting and killing of a fugitive surnamed Shih (石) in Thailand earlier this year is scheduled to stand trial in Taipei for murder.

The suspect, a Taiwanese man surnamed Chou (周), handed the gun to his employer, a man surnamed Wang (王), who then fatally shot Shih in the head in a rented house in Bangkok, the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office said. – said the Bureau.

Although Taiwanese prosecutors also charged Wang with murder, he is believed to have fled to Cambodia.

Of the six suspects in Shih’s murder, only Chou is in the custody of Taiwanese authorities.

The bullet-riddled body of Shih, who had been on the run from Taiwanese authorities since February last year, was found by Thai police on February 25 in an abandoned house near Suvarnabhumi airport.

An investigation by the Thai police and Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau found that two other Taiwanese, named Hsu (許) and Lin (林), were involved in Shih’s murder.

Investigators said Wang, who ran a marijuana shop in Thailand, had a long-standing grudge against Shih.

On February 25, Wang, Chou and Hsu asked Shih to meet at Wang’s rented house in Bangkok to “resolve their differences,” prosecutors say.

Lin, a mutual friend of Wang and Shih, also showed up after hearing news of the meeting, prosecutors added.

During the heated exchange, Wang fired the first shot into Shih’s left temple and then hid the gun in Chou’s room, he said.

However, after noticing that Shih was still alive and calling for help, Wang asked Chou to draw his gun, then shot Shih again, killing him, they said.

Wang then went with Lin to dump Shih’s body while Chou and Hsu cleaned up the crime scene, they said.

After reuniting in a rented house, the four men and Wang’s Thai girlfriend fled to Cambodia and separated. Chou returned to Taiwan on February 26, after which he was taken for questioning and then detained, prosecutors said.

Hsu and Lin are also wanted for their involvement in the case, but their whereabouts are unknown. Thai authorities are investigating Wang’s girlfriend.

Prosecutors are also opening a separate case against Wang and Chou for violating the Firearms, Ammunition and Knives Control Act (槍砲彈藥刀械管制條例).