Surikfat

THAILAND: SEVEN DEATH SENTENCES FOR FAMILY MASSACRE

March 22, 2021:

The Supreme Court on 18 March 2021 sentenced to death seven men convicted of the mass murder of a family in Krabi in 2017.
The court upheld the sentences for premeditated murder against Surikfat "Bung Fat" Bannopwongsakul, 41; Khomsan Wiangnon; Abdullo Dolo, 30; Arun Thongkham, 29; Prachak Bunthoi, 36; Thanachai Chamnong, 41, and Tawatchai Boonkong.
It also upheld a 12-month jail sentence for an eighth defendant, a woman named Chalita Sangchote.
The court found she had no knowledge of the plot to murder the family.
However, it convicted her for being involved in helping to hide valuables stolen from the murder scene.
In a video conference session, the court said the seven other defendants had callously committed the murder with no regard for the law and the death sentence would also deter anyone from committing a similar act.
Those sentenced to death were also ordered to pay restitution to relatives of the murdered family.
The amounts for each murdered family member range from 400,000 baht to two million baht.
On 10 July 2017, Worayut Sanglang, 46, chief of Moo 1 village in tambon Ban Klang, Ao Luk district in Krabi, and seven members of his family were killed in his home.
Surikfat and his accomplices wore military-style clothing, forced their way into Worayut's home and held 11 members of the family captive.
They were later all shot, execution style. Three of the victims, a mother and her two young daughters, survived.
Worayut's father-in-law had lent a plot of land to Surikfat so he could secure a loan.
He later repaid the loan but Surikfat refused to return the property.