Police are searching for two British men who are believed to have murdered a Burmese businessman in Thailand by smashing his head into the ground, according to local reports.
The Scottish suspects, identified only as ‘William’ and ‘John’, allegedly met Burmese national Kyaw Zeyar, 50, for a business deal at the Saranjai Mansion apartment block in Bangkok on Tuesday night.
However, the British reportedly had a heated fight with Zeyar when negotiations on the 23rd floor apartment failed.
They allegedly beat him to death, then ransacked his room and escaped with a mobile phone and five million THB (about £110,000) in cash.
Kyaw Zeyar’s stepmother, who lives with him in the condominium and who was knocked unconscious during the fight, reported the attack to the police.
Police are searching for two Britons who are believed to have murdered a Burmese businessman in Thailand by smashing his head into the ground in a Bangkok apartment block.
The Scottish suspects, identified only as ‘William’ and ‘John’, allegedly met Burmese national Kyaw Zeyar, 50, for a business deal at the Saranjai Mansion apartment block (pictured as police investigate) in Bangkok on Tuesday night.
The men allegedly beat Kyaw Zeyar to death, then ransacked his room and escaped with a mobile phone and five million THB (about £110,000) in cash. They found him dead on the floor in a blood-stained white polo shirt.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Therdsak Manaschon of Lumpini police station said officers received a report at 11.15pm and went to the 23-storey building to investigate.
They found the room in disarray, with the door handle broken and the card slot missing batteries.
Kyaw Zeyar lay dead on the ground wearing a white polo shirt stained with blood.
No weapons were found at the scene.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Therdsak said: “After reviewing surveillance footage, we believe the suspects were two dark-skinned Scottish men.” One of them was bald. After committing the crime, they hurriedly fled the scene.
“We have coordinated with the Wat Phraya Krai police station to gather information about the suspects, who were residing at the Shangri-La Bangkok hotel.
‘In addition, we contacted the Immigration Office at Suvarnabhumi Airport to prevent them from escaping Thailand.
‘The victim and the suspects are suspected of being involved in black money business. Negotiations failed, leading to the assassination.
“The cause of death is believed to be when the suspects forcefully slammed the victim’s head into the ground.”
Kyaw Zeyar’s mother, who was also injured during the fight, said she and her son had been living in Thailand for about four months.
The deceased had bought a safe to store the cash earlier that morning before meeting the British at around 8.30pm.
Images published in Thai media showed officers transporting the safe to a police station.
She said: “I saw they were fighting and tried to intervene but the man called William knocked me out.”
“When I woke up, I found my son covered in blood but still breathing weakly.”
Police officers are seen inside the apartment block as they investigate the crime.
Kyaw Zeyar’s stepmother, who lives with him in the condominium and who was knocked unconscious during the fight, reported the attack to the police.
The desperate mother had asked the condominium staff for help, but Kyaw Zeyar died while doctors administered CPR.
They also discovered that cash was missing from the safe, along with their phone.
Interestingly, the suspects had left Kyaw Zeyar’s password-locked phone, which had his contact information and private messages.
This afternoon the police were still tracking the whereabouts of the British.