Thai pair re-enact killing Australian

26 Jun 2012, 9:38 pm   -   Source: AAP
Two men have been arrested for the murder of Australian woman Michelle Smith in Phuket last week. (AAP)

Two men have been arrested for the murder of Australian woman Michelle Smith in Phuket last week. (AAP)

Two criminals have demonstrated to Thai police how they killed an Australian travel agent in a botched bag-snatching.

Two Thai men have faced the wrath of an angry mob while showing police how they killed an Australian travel agent.

They confessed to the killing, but said they meant to slash Michelle Smith's pocketbook strap and never meant to stab her.

The man who rode the motorcycle used in the attack and the passenger re-enacted the crime for police on Tuesday at the spot in Phuket where Smith, 60, was killed last week.

A crowd of about 200 people shouted angrily at the men, who were handcuffed. They accused them of bringing bad publicity to an area that depends heavily on tourism.

Dozens of police kept the crowd at bay. In the re-enactment, Surasak Suwannachote, 26, showed how he jumped off the back seat of the motorbike. He wielded a replica knife to show how he had stabbed his victim.

Such re-enactments are common in Thailand.

"I was trying to cut the strap of the bag. I didn't know (the knife) would actually strike her. I only found out the next day," Surasak told reporters. He said he had attempted similar robberies on several occasions, sometimes successfully.

Surveillance footage shows Smith and a companion walking down a street in the popular district of Karon last Wednesday when two men passed on a motorbike.

The man on the back seat jumped off and tried to steal her bag, repeatedly stabbing her when she resisted but failing to get the bag. The two women walked away, and Smith later died of a stab wound to her chest.

The companion, Tammy Lee Lynn, 45, suffered a gash to her arm while trying to help Smith.

The motorcycle rider, Surin Tabthong, 37, apologised on Tuesday. "I made a mistake that day. I didn't think," he said. "I was reckless and things got carried away. It was a mistake."

According to local media, they had tried to snatch Ms Smith's handbag in an attempt to raise 300 baht (A$10) that Surin owed a local restaurant.

Australian Ambassador to Thailand, James Wise, welcomed the arrests and said they provided reassurance to tourists.

Mr Wise told AAP Thai authorities had responded quickly to the crime and had spared no effort.

The police chief, General Priewpan Damapong, visited Phuket on Monday to highlight the government's concern over the impact the killing could have on the tourism industry.

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