BANGKOK, Jan 7 (TNA) – Gunmen opened fires at a car of
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office of Thailand Surachet Hakparn in
Bangkok Monday night, but the motive is still unknown.
Pol Lt Gen Surachet was a high-profile police officer who
was sacked last year from the post of immigration police chief. He was actively implemented the government’s
immigration policy as well as crime suppressions before being abruptly stripped
of the rank and position.
His car parked at a restaurant in Bang Rak district was shot
seven times into the side but he was not in the vehicle.
Bang Rak police said CCTV images and witnesses’ accounts
suggested that two men on a motorcycle fired the shots before fleeing.
While Pol Lt Gen Surachet has said he is certain the gunmen
intended to kill him, police investigators believed it was rather an
intimidation.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Wirachai Songmetta said
forensic experts and investigators were examining the bullets to determine the
type of firearm and CCTV images.
Police would ask Pol Lt Gen Surachet to provide further
information for the investigation, Pol Gen Wirachai said.
Pol Lt Gen Surachet has also maintained that he has not
conflicts with anyone.
The former police officer who has close ties with Deputy
Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan had led a massive operation to eradicate loan
sharks and supervised high-profile criminal cases while serving in the police
force in the past five years.(TNA)
