Claim in suicide note denied
A photo of the Surawuthipong family placed at their wake at Wat Sri Eaem yesterday.
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A man identified in a suicide note as the reason an indebted businessman killed his family and himself has denied the claim.
Boonchai Surawuthipong, his wife and three children were found dead in their beds in their luxury Bangkok home on Tuesday. A suicide note written by Boonchai claimed a man known as "Choosaeng" was going to harm his children if he did not pay him Bt5 million. The money was a fee for arranging a business loan for Boonchai. The note said Boonchai was unable to meet the payment. Klong Tan police inspector Lt-Colonel Wisit Muensuwan said yesterday the man reported to police at 2am and denied making threats. Wisit said Choosaeng requested his name be withheld because of concern it would harm his work as a financial adviser. He visited in the early morning to avoid the news media. Choosaeng told police he met Boonchai twice and no threats had ever been made, according to Wisit. With Choosaeng's help, Boonchai secured a Bt130-million loan to expand his factory. Boonchai's note claimed commission of Bt5 million was owing. Wisit said Choosaeng did admit to asking repeatedly for the payment. "But he denies he resorted to making threats," Wisit said. Klong Tan police superintendent Colonel Sukhun Pornmai said the deceased's relatives did not suspect any foul play. They said Boonchai was a hard-working family man and believed the deaths were a case of murder-suicide triggered by stress, according to investigator Lt-Colonel Parinya Wongkla. "Boonchai was described as a man who took things very seriously," Parinya said. A source said Boonchai was paying significant sums in daily interest on loans and his wife had suffered trading losses on the stock market. Funerals were held at a Bangkok temple yesterday.
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