Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul apologised to the family of two Russian siblings who were murdered in Pattaya, pledging that everyone involved will be brought to justice.
Anutin travelled to Chon Buri yesterday, August 2, to receive updates on the Russian siblings murder investigation, as well as the separate case involving a missing family of three.
Following the briefing, the PM said investigators had gathered sufficient evidence to proceed with legal action against the two main accused, Thana “Pong” Kirdthong and Thongchai “Thong” Srinin, along with other suspects connected to the case.
According to Anutin, police are continuing to investigate whether the suspects were involved in other criminal offences, including drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession.
The PM described both criminal cases as particularly brutal. However, he urged the media not to portray the deaths of the Russian siblings as evidence that foreign tourists are unsafe in Thailand, noting that the victims’ family had lived in the country for many years.
Anutin acknowledged that the case had damaged Thailand’s tourism image, saying…
“The killers did not just murder two foreigners. It is like they killed our entire country.”
He added that the government would work to restore confidence among international visitors as quickly as possible and stressed that incidents of this nature are rare in Thailand.
When asked about public calls for the death penalty, Anutin noted that capital punishment remains available under Thai law but said any sentence would depend on the court’s decision.
“If I could judge myself, I would not let the public worry like this,” he said.
After the meeting, Anutin met members of the victims’ family to offer his condolences and apologise for their loss. He also assured the family that authorities would pursue all suspects through the legal process.
PM Anutin later visited the site where the bodies of the Russian siblings were found. He spent about 15 minutes inspecting the area before telling reporters that the accused appeared to have been familiar with the location and describing the crimes as cruel.
The story PM Anutin meets family of Russian siblings and vows full investigation as seen on Thaiger News.
