Pathum Thani: A migrant worker from Cambodia was nabbed in eastern Sa Kaeo province yesterday while trying to flee home after murdering his Thai boss and stealing property from her house in Pathum Thani, police said.
Pol Maj Gen Thanayut Wutthcharatthamrong, deputy commander of Provincial Police Region 1, said 30-year-old Touch Vuthy was caught by Sa Kaeo police in Aranyaprathet district, one day after killing his boss, Thanapornpan Saengprasit, a 47-year-old vendor at the sprawling Talad Thai market.
The suspect was found to have a gun, Buddhist amulets and 6,385 baht in cash in his possession when he was apprehended, police said.
Mr Touch is accused of stabbing Thanapornpan to death in her house in Phra Pin Village of tambon Khlongnuan in Khlong Luang district on Sunday afternoon.
Pol Maj Gen Thanayut said Mr Touch confessed to the murder and theft.
Thanapornpan was found dead outside her house with several stab wounds to her abdomen and chest.
A bloodstained knife lay next to her body and blood was found throughout the house, according to police.
Pol Maj Gen Thanayut said there were signs of forced entry at her home, while her bedroom had clearly been ransacked.
Thanapornpan, who sold produce at the market, fired Mr Touch three days earlier after scolding him about his work, according to the suspect.
CCTV footage shows him running out of her house and then scaling a wall to escape, police said.
One witness said he saw Mr Touch ride pillion on a motorcycle, stop at a produce market, and get into an orange cab, Pol Maj Gen Thanayut said.
Following the arrest, Mr Touch was taken to Pathum Thani, where he admitted to the crime and his plan to flee to Cambodia, police said.
Khlong Luang police then made him re-enact his crime at the victim's home, drawing a large crowd.
It was reported that Mr Touch was escorted by more than 50 police during the re-enactment.
A crowd of onlookers, including Thanapornpan's son and daughter, gathered outside the house to watch this take place.
They shouted insults at the suspect.
Mr Touch responded by going down on his knees and apologising for what he had done.
The media were banned from entering the house during the re-enactment.
Mr Touch was taken to two parts of the house: an area in front of it where he apparently killed the victim, and the woman's bedroom, police said.
The suspect was taken to a police station for further questioning afterwards, according to reports.