A botched 3 million baht extortion attempt by 2 Chinese nationals turned into a f-arse when one of them shot a fellow countryman in the buttock.
A married Chinese couple Yu Wang and Li Min met with mainland compatriot Wang Xiaoye at a house in Muang district of Chiang Mai under the pretence of selling some antique porcelain at around 12.30pm on Tuesday. But the married couple could not agree on a price with the 54 year old and an argument ensued. It culminated when the 36 year old woman pulled out a .38 caliber pistol and demanded 3 million baht.
Wang refused to pay the money and tried to make an escape when he saw the gun but Li shot him in the right buttock as he fled for his life.
The injured Chinese man managed to get out of the house and jumped into the nearby Ping River where he swam across to the other side to seek help from the villagers. It was there he phoned the police.
Wang took the police to the couple’s home but the pair had disappeared. They were later seen in a white Toyota pickup truck, heading toward the Chiang Rai province.
Police intercepted and arrested the couple trying to board a boat across the Mekong River.
Pol Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Pongwiwattanachai, the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Commissioner, traveled to Mae Ping Police Station to interrogate the Chinese nationals.
He reported that the Chinese couple denied using a firearm to shoot Wang. But the investigating officer has filed charges against the couple: attempting to kill others, possessing firearms and ammunition without permission, and staying in the kingdom beyond the permitted time
The Chiang Mai Provincial Police Commissioner added that while the investigation has not found any mafia behaviour or a ransom as reported in the news, the police will investigate further because the testimony of both sides contradicted one another.
Pol Maj. Gen. Thawatchai made it known that during the investigation, the immigration police found that Li Min came to live in Chiang Mai with her 36 year old husband, but she had overstayed her visa in Thailand. As for Yu, it appears he is not employed and there will be a further investigation into whether he is involved in any other illegal behaviour.
SOURCE Thairath Bangkok Post