University killings and suicide: Motives revealed (UPDATE 4)

FRI UPDATE: A suicide note and a police investigation reveal that the 60-year-old university lecturer who killed himself yesterday had a long set of grievances against the two lecturers he shot and killed the day before.

UPDATE #4

Friday morning: Much more information has emerged about Dr Wanchai Danaitamonut's suicide death and his conflict with two lecturers at Phranakhon Rajabhat University whom he shot and killed on Wednesday morning. Here are details from today's main Bangkok Post story.

University killings and suicide: Motives revealed

First of all, police said they learnt from a close associate of Dr Wanchai, who was also his student, that the suspect was hiding at the Suparp Hotel on Sutthisan Winitchai Soi 1 in the Phaya Thai district of Bangkok.

Dr Wanchai had gunned down Pichai Chaisongkram, 50, and Natthapol Chumworathayee, also 50, in an examination room in front of a graduate student at Phranakhon Rajabhat University in Bangkok on Wednesday morning and subsequently fled.

Police rushed to the hotel around noon and began negotiating with the suspect after he was located and identified.

Almost six hours of negotiations followed before Dr Wanchai suddenly shot himself. The elderly woman seen negotating with him through a megaphone on live local TV broadcasts  was Ladda Samitma, a former boss of Wanchai.  She said Dr Wanchai unexpectedly decided to take his own life while she was talking him into agreeing to eat a meal.

Police found suicide notes explaining conflicts Wanchai said he had had with Pichai and Natthapol. In the notes, Wanchai accused Pichai of pulling the strings behind a move by some students to complain about his teaching. The notes also said both Pichai and Natthapol had offended Wanchai on several occasions and they deserved to be dead.

Acting metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Sanit Mahathavorn said earlier yesterday that investigators had found that the conflicts between Wanchai and Pichai possibly stemmed from the former’s removal as manager of a new graduate programme which he was appointed to lead.

Wanchai was removed after Pichai had lodged a complaint with the university alleging that Wanchai’s qualifications were unsuitable, said Pol Lt Gen Sanit. The removal cost Wanchai the opportunity to receive additional income for managing the study programme, plus additional payments for lecturing and conducting a thesis defence exam, said Pol Lt Gen Sanit.

As for Natthapol, he had initially stepped in as a mediator between Wanchai and Pichai but was later appointed to replace Wanchai in the study programme, said Pol Lt Gen Sanit.

Police also learned that Wanchai was likely frustrated that Natthapol, who had the authority to decide on Wanchai’s application for research funding, had rejected the application.

Pong Horadal, rector of the university, said he was aware of a conflict between Wanchai and Pichai but thought it had ended over a year ago.

The entire incident was broadcast live by some local television stations, a decision that may get them in trouble. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) issued an urgent notice to every TV channel to cease broadcasting the police operation.

Supinya Klangnarong, an NBTC member, said that such a long live broadcast of a sensitive incident could be regarded as an act that affects law and order, which is prohibited under Section 37 of the broadcasting law, and that any offenders risk facing tough legal action.

UPDATE #3

20:00 Dr. Wanchai Danaitamonut has carried out his threat to shoot himself. He was immediately taken away by ambulance. Thai PBS reports that the shooting took place at 18:44. Dr Wanchai was rushed to the ICU at Paolo Memorial Hospital in the Suphan Kwai area. Reports in the last few minutes indicate he died from his self-inflicted wounds. (Confirmed by Post Today.)

For our Thai readers, Matichon has released copies of two documents Dr Wanchai apparently threw out to police at the hotel where he shot himself. Entitled "Report before death" they detail his grievances against his primary victim Dr Pichai Chaisongkram. These include what he claimed to be false accusations of wrongdoing, a removal from an important position, and questioning his academic qualifications.

UPDATE #2

Standoff as accused lecturer killer threatens to kill himself

19/05/2016
Online Reporters and the Learning Channel

Dr. Wanchai Danaitamonut, 60, is threatening to kill himself (threatening suicide) after been surrounded by police in Bangkok’s Saphan Khwai area on Thursday afternoon, in a gun-point drama televised live by news channels (see here).

Dr. Wanchai Danaitamonut, 60, is wanted for the murder of two PhD lecturers -- Pichai chaisongkram, 56, and Natthapol Chumworathayee,  54 - at Phranakhon Rajabhat University yesteday,

Mr Wanchai was spotted sitting in his car at hotel car park in Saphan Khwai area about 1pm.

A police commando team went to the hotel and surround him.

Mr Wanchai later got out of the car and pointed a handgun at his head.

The police brought Mr Wanchai's mother in to help.

Together have spent more than two hours speaking to him with a megaphone trying to persuade Mr Wanchai to surrender.

As of 5pm pm the stand-off was continuing. Dramatic TV footage showed Mr Wanchai alternatively standing beside his car holding a gun to his head and then getting in the car and repeating the scene again. At about 4:45 the situation got very tense as those talking to him implored him not to take his own life.

18:30  Dr Wanchai has moved away from his car and has asked for an received a cigarette. He is no longer holding the gun to his head. Police now have the car and people are still trying to convince him to surrender. He has refused an offer to meet the press.

(Source: here & here)

UPDATE #1:

The double-murder occured in the Buddhist Philosophy learning and cultural centre.

The PhD lecturer Wanchai Danaitamonut, 60, stormed into the room and shot Pichai Chaisongkram, 56, and Natthapol Chumworathayee, 54, both in the head with a 9mm pistol.

A student was defending his thesis inside the room when the shooting happened.

Pichai was chairman of the testing committee and Natthapol the student’s adviser. There was also another student waiting to defend a thesis inside the room.

The shooting appears to have been motivated by a personal conflict and had nothing to do with the students.

Pol Lt Gen Sanit said he had ordered police handling the case to speed up the investigation because the incident happened inside an education facility and would worry the public. (Source here)

MURDER & UNIVERSITIES

University shooting: One PhD shoots two PhDs dead

18/05/2016
Online Reporters

Two university lecturers were shot dead by a colleague inside the Buddhist Philosophy building at a Rajabhat University in Bangkok after talks to patch up a problem failed on Wednesday morning.

The shooting occurred on the fifth floor of the cultural centre at Phranakhon Rajabhat University in Bang Khen.

THREE PHD'S GET IN AN ARGUMENT

Police called to the crime scene said  two men, identified as Pichai Chaisongkram, 50, and Natthapol Chumworathayee, also 50, were shot dead inside the room.

Both were lecturers holding PhD degrees.

COULDN'T REACH AGREEMENT, SO SHOT THEM DEAD

Three lecturers, each with a PhD degree, had been meeting inside the room to try and settle a problem.

When they were unable to reach any agreement, the third man pulled out a pistol and fired shots at the other two men, wounding them fatally, before fleeing.

Police named the alleged gunman as Wanchai Danaitamonut.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/978221/university-lecturers-in-heated-quarrel-2-shot-dead

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/980021/standoff-as-accused-lecturer-killer-threatens-to-kill-himself

http://www.thairath.co.th/tv/

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