Shooting is cheaper than buying votes

Suppose you have a political opponent and you want to defeat him in the elections. What are you doing? In Thailand there are two options: bribe voters or have your opponent killed.

The first option costs 5 to 10 million baht, the second - depending on the difficulty - 100.000 to 300.000 baht.

Since the attack on two local politicians on the same day in Prachin Buri and Nonthaburi and with the elections approaching, the police fear that the hunting season has started. Both victims - one was seriously injured, the other killed - were probably on the hit list of their political opponents, although the police do not rule out business conflicts as a motive.

Aroen Jaronsuk who was seriously injured in Prachin Buri was head of the Ta Tum tambon administration and secretary to a Social Action Party MP. He was injured by a bomb that exploded in the car in which he was a passenger. Kowit Charoennontasit was mayor of Bang Bua Thong. He was shot dead in front of his house in the evening.

Chatchai Rianmek of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, who is leading the investigation, said killing politicians in the run-up to elections is a common tactic to eliminate opponents. Finances are the deciding factor. According to him, the budgets available to local authorities lure businessmen into politics. They choose the cheap option of gaining power and then abuse it later.

He also scolds his own police for their ineffective fight against these crimes.