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An informant helps police to track down and arrest two men suspected of being involving in the killing of an Australian travel agent and the wounding of her companion.

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2 arrested in Australian travel agent murder

Surasak Suwannachote, 26, (left) doesn’t look that much like the sketch a police artist made of him from witness accounts, but police say he is the man who killed Michelle Smith. He was arrested yesterday as was Surin Tapthong, 37 who allegedly drove the motorcycle.

It turns out, the police sketch of the man wanted for the murder of an Australian travel agent and wounding her travelling companion in Phuket last Wednesday night didn't look much like either of the two men arrested by police yesterday.

Instead, the key information came from an informant who knew one of the suspects.

Surasak Suwannachote, 26, the suspected killer, was in custody in Chumphon province while Surin Tapthong, 37, who allegedly helped him to flee, was arrested at Ban Phaeo district of Samut Sakhon.

The suspects were taken to Phuket yesterday evening.

Michelle Smith, a 60-year-old travel agent from Perth, and her friend Lynn Tammee Lee, also Australian, were walking back to their hotel in the Karon area around 10.30pm on Wednesday after eating at a restaurant when they were attacked by two bag-snatchers on a motorcycle.

As Smith struggled to hold on to her bag, one of the men stabbed her in the chest. She walked away and then collapsed and died a short time later.

The motorcycle pair fled empty-handed.

Police handout photo of Surin Tapthong

National police chief Pol Gen Priewpan said police traced the suspects to Chiang Yai district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Mr Surasak's home town.

Officers realised Mr Surasak had actually fled to Chumphon and Mr Surin sought shelter in his home town of Samut Sakhon.

Phuket police chief Chonsit Wattanawarangkul said investigators obtained information from a witness saying Mr Surin phoned him to say he had stabbed a foreigner.

The suspect allegedly told the witness that he initially thought the victim was only injured because she had walked away to seek help.

He fled the island after learning the victim had later died.

Police inspected surveillance camera footage from the eatery to identify the suspects.

Police have charged the suspects with plotting to rob and kill others and carrying weapons in a public area.

Pol Gen Priewpan said the suspects have been arrested in drug cases before.

Adapted from a story in today’s Bangkok Post

turn out – to be discovered to be; to prove to be กลับกลายเป็น
murder – the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรมturn out
sketch – a simple picture that is drawn quickly and does not have many details ภาพร่าง
wound – to cause to be hurt, especially where the skin or flesh is damaged, usually seriously ทำให้บาดเจ็บ
companion – a person (or an animal) that travels who you or spends a lot of time with you  เพื่อน, เพื่อนเดินทาง
key – very important ที่สำคัญ
informant – someone who secretly gives information about someone to the police or someone in authority ผู้ให้ข้อมูล, ผู้บอก, ผู้แจ้ง
suspect – a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย
witness – a person who sees something happen  ผู้ที่เห็นเหตุการณ์
account – a written or spoken report about something that has happened  บันทึกถ้อยคำ
arrested – caught by the police and taken to a police station because you are believed to have committed a crime ถูกจับกุม
allegedly – claimed to have done something wrong, but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
in custody – under the control of the police, usually in a jail อยู่ใต้การคุ้มครอง
flee (past form: fled) – to leave a place or person quickly because you are afraid of possible danger หนี
snatch – to take or get something quickly คว้า
struggle – to try hard to do something that you find very difficult พยายาม
stab – to kill or hurt someone by pushing a knife or other sharp object into their body แทงด้วยอาวุธ
collapse – to fall down suddenly พังลงมา  ล้ม
pair – two people who are doing something together คู่
empty-handed – without getting anything for your effort ล้มเหลว, ไม่ประสบความสำเร็จ
sought (past tense of seek) – asked for something, or to tried to get something พยายามได้มา
shelter – a temporary place to stay ที่พักชั่วคราว
obtain – to get something that you want or need, especially by going through a process that is difficult ได้มา, ได้รับ
initially – at first ในเบื้องต้น
victim – someone who has been harmed, injured or killed as the result of a crime เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้า
place to constantly record what happens there – เทปวิดีโอจากกล้องวงจรปิดเพื่อรักษาการความปลอดภัย
eatery – a restaurant ภัตตาคาร
charge – to accuse someone officially of committing a crime ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
plot – to make a secret plan with other people to do something bad วางแผน
rob – to take money or property illegally from a person or place, often using threats or violence ปล้น, ปล้นจี้

Related search: Phuket travel agent murder, Michelle Smith, suspects arrested