Taxi driver shot dead in suspected turf war on Thai 'White Lotus' island
A taxi driver was shot dead in a suspected turf war on Thailand's 'White Lotus' island.
Sikarin Promcharoen, 31, was collecting passengers at a disputed pickup zone when rival cabbies swarmed his vehicle on Koh Samui island, in the early hours of Sunday.
They banged on his car window before allegedly dragging him out of the driver's seat into the road.
He was said to have pulled out a knife in self-defence, stabbing one suspect who retaliated by peppering him with bullets.
Shocking footage shows gunshots ringing out in the Khao Pom area as the alleged gangsters opened fire on the father-of-one.
Terrified tourists were heard taking cover as the group then fled the scene.
Local police scoured piers and escape routes around the island following the alleged assassination.
On Wednesday, they announced they had arrested Jatupon Ruangkong, 42, who allegedly fled in a black Isuzu pickup with no licence plates.
He was charged with premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, carrying a firearm in public without reasonable cause, and unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public area.
Officials said they were seeking warrants for seven more suspects.
Sikarin's family have fled Koh Samui, fearing a powerful 'taxi mafia' was behind his death.
In a Facebook post shared just hours before the suspected murder, Sikarin wrote: 'I am not a thug. I do not bully others, but I will not let anyone bully my family.
‘When it is my turn to bare my fangs, not a single person will dare to stand up.'
His wife, Onchuma, said relatives have sought protection from the Ministry of Justice as they believe police were being influenced by the group linked to the attack.
She allegedly said: 'When I filed a complaint with the district police over the killing, the enquiry officer on duty told me the CCTV footage from the scene was too blurry to properly determine what had happened.
'I later managed to obtain footage from a tourist who had recorded the shooting, but the police still claimed that no witnesses or evidence had been provided.
'I no longer believe the police are serious about pursuing the case, which is why I decided to seek help from the Justice Ministry in Bangkok.'
Locals claimed Sikarin's family have been embroiled in a long-standing taxi turf war with their neighbours.
The rival families have reportedly been feuding for months over lucrative tourist pick-ups and territory.
Tensions escalated after Sikarin's father-in-law allegedly paid bar workers to steer customers towards his taxis, angering rivals who claimed it affected their earnings.
The bitter row spilled onto social media with both sides trading barbs online.
A local mediator had allegedly tried to settle the conflict, but the dispute still ended in Sikarin's death.
A friend said Sikarin was known on the island for helping rush patients to hospitals free of charge.
He said: 'He was someone who was always ready to help others. He was a son, a younger sibling, an older sibling, and a good person to many.
'But today, that person who used to help others will no longer be returning home.'
The Region 8 Provincial Police Bureau assured Sikarin's family that police were investigating the case fairly.
Koh Samui has seen a surge of tourism among US, British and European travellers following the success of The White Lotus's third season.
However, there is a dark underbelly of criminal activity on the island connected to local 'mafia' groups and influential, powerful families who are said to have control of local police.
Suzanne Buchanan, who wrote a book exposing alleged corruption on the neighbouring island of Koh Tao, said: 'Anyone who thinks there are no mafia and influential families running the islands in the Gulf of Thailand is simply not paying attention. This kind of behaviour is not isolated to Koh Tao. Koh Phangan and Koh Samui are almost as bad.'
