The Justice Ministry has said the man suspected of fatally stabbing a 26-year-old man in Lat Phrao district on Wednesday in a gruesome robbery that was caught on CCTV camera should never be released as he is a threat to society and a serial offender.
Kittikorn Wikaha, 26, who has been jailed eight times for various offences, including pornography, illicit drugs, burglary and physical assault, allegedly robbed and killed Wasin Luangjaem, a former ground officer for a private firm operating at Suvarnabhumi airport, in Soi Sukhonthasawat 27 about 10pm on Wednesday.
As a serial offender, Mr Kittikorn has a habit of breaching laws and a proposal must be made to prosecutors to seek a court order to stiffen his punishment. Although he might confess this should not give him the chance of serving a lighter sentence said a ministry spokesman.
Based on principles of criminology, the suspect will not change his behaviour in any rehabilitation programme. The suspect must be incarcerated permanently to prevent him harming society, he added.
The CCTV footage showed Mr Kittikorn, armed with a large knife, trying to snatch an iPhone 7 from Wasin, and a struggle ensued.
Wasin was seen being repeatedly stabbed before falling to the ground. Mr Kittikorn then fled the scene on a motorcycle allegedly driven by Supatchai Chansri, 25.
Meanwhile, police yesterday held a news conference on the case in the presence of Mr Kittikorn.
After being released from jail on Dec 14, last year, the suspect said he sold fruit at a temple, but he became short of cash and fell into debt. So, he persuaded a friend whom he had met in prison to find victims to rob.
“I accept I used a knife to stab the victim,” Mr Kittikorn told reporters.
Mr Kittikorn said he saw the victim fiddling with his mobile phone, so he approached him and pretended to ask for directions.
Mr Kittikorn said he then tried to snatch the mobile phone when Wasin turned to speak to him, but the victim resisted, so he knifed him several times. He said he did not intend to kill Wasin.
The two suspects committed four crimes from Wednesday night to the early hours of Thursday, according to police.
At 10.07 pm on Wednesday, they tried to snatch a bag from a woman in Soi Sukhonthasawat 27, but failed. Eight minutes later, they committed the crime involving Wasin.
At 1.30am on Thursday, they allegedly stole another iPhone from a woman in Soi Sukhonthasawat 9. The suspects made off with a mobile phone and 5,000 baht after robbing a woman an hour later in front of Synphaet Hospital in Kannayao district.