Angry cattle farmer admits stabbing two to death

Police inspect the crime scene at a rubber plantation in Khuan Niang district of Songkhla where three people were stabbed, two fatally, on Friday. Suspect Paipot Issaro (inset), 45, faces murder charges. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

SONGKHLA: A cattle farmer arrested for allegedly stabbing to death two family members and wounding another at a rubber plantation in Khuan Niang district claimed repeated complaints about his cattle had driven him to carry out the killings.

Paipot Issaro, 45, of Khuan Niang district, was apprehended at his house in tambon Bang Riang of this district shortly after the fatal attack occurred on Friday.

Lianhin Noknoi, 64 and his son Ekkapot, 30, were found lying dead in pools of blood with stab wound at their rubber plantation at Preak Suwan village when local police arrived at the scene after being alerted at around 10am on Friday.

Next to the victims, a woman identified later as Chong, 59, who is Mr Lianhin’s wife and Mr Ekkapot's mother, was found with serious stab wounds. Rescue workers took her to Hat Yai Hospital.

The investigation led police to arrest Mr Paipot at his house in the same village, where a big knife used for the fatal stabbing was seized.

The suspect confessed to having carried out the attack, police said. He told police he had taken his cows to graze on the victims’ rubber plantations several times. His animals had occasionally knocked over latex cups and buckets, angering the victims. They repeatedly reprimanded him.

On Friday, he took his cattle to the plantation again while the couple and their son were tapping latex. Upon seeing his cows, the three family members scolded him. The pent-up rage triggered the attack, said the suspect.

He told police his family and that of the victims were related by marriage as his wife was a younger sister of Mrs Chong, who sustained serious knife wounds.

The suspect was held in police custody at Khuan Niang police station on murder and attempted murder charges.