19-year-old student's craze over Grand Theft Auto game leads to his murdering a taxi driver just to further his mania

In a scene from his favourite, violent video game, a Bangkok twelfth-grader this weekend turned from Grand Theft Auto addict into a real-life killer.

For a handful of spare change with which he planned to further his online GTA obsession, 19-year-old Phalawat Chinno plotted and carried out the murder of a city cabbie.

Phalawat admits to police he got the idea from the game he plays every day. He says killing is not "a difficult thing to do".

In the space of eight hours Phalawat calmly purchased two knives, then went and hunted down his unsuspecting victim.

He admits this was his second try at living out the murderous game. He tells police he selected 54-year-old Khuan Phokaeng because he was old and less strong.

He also asserts the murder was a robbery gone wrong, claiming Khuan fought back, hitting him with a wrench when he produced a knife and demanded cash.

Killer couldn't drive

But, when police arrived at Soi Charan Sanitwong 77, Phalawat was trying to escape in the taxi. He had stashed Khuan's body in the passenger seat.

Phalawat later admitted he couldn't drive. He thought making off with the taxi would be a cinch, based on his game-playing experiences.

"I remember everything from the game. It's an easy game and easy to get money," he says.

Phalawat says he's from a broken home where his drunkard father used to beat his mother.

Driver fights in vain

Bang Phlat police say Phalawat did fight with the driver, but then proceeded to stab him repeatedly.

The victim sounded his horn in a desperate attempt to save his life, and then tried to run away.

He got only a short distance before he collapsed from his wounds.

Phalawat then dragged the body back to the cab, putting it in the passenger seat before attempting his getaway.

Police say the victim was stabbed more than 10 times in the neck. One finger was severed.