Angry crowd admonishes Phuket murder suspects

Phuket -- Some 200 Phuket police provided security at the re-enactment Tuesday by two male suspects who allegedly stabbed an Australian woman to death and seriously injured her companion in a bag snatch gone wrong on June 20.

Nakhon Si Thammarat native Surasak Suwannachote, 26, and Samut Sakhon native Surin Thatthong, 37, were taken to the crime scene on Kata Noi Road in Phuket's Muang district to re-enact the crime, in which they allegedly murdered Australian travel agent Michelle Elizabeth Smith, 59, and severely wounded her companion, Tammee Lee Lynn, 42.

As national police chief Priewpan Damapong and local police watched the 30-minute re-enactment, a crowd of Phuket residents and tourists showed up scolding the duo. Some carried signs saying they didn’t welcome outsiders committing crimes in their neighborhood. Police had to speedily escort the duo out immediately after the re-enactment to prevent the crowd attacking them.

The Nation