Udon Thani - Police on Friday arrested the executive chairman of Ake Udon Hospital on suspicion of masterminding the murder of a monk on March 1 in Udon Thani.
Banjerd Chatpaitoon was arrested at the hospital, assistant national police chief Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday. Boonnag Hongsakham, who police suspect of identifying the target, was also arrested. It is not clear where he was arrested
Pol Lt Gen Prawut said the two suspects will be brought before a press conference at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok today.
Meanwhile, assistant national police chief Pol Lt Gen Panya Mamen said there has been significant progress in the investigation into the killing of Phra Bandit Supanthito, 48, the abbot of Wat Pa Tor Si Siad.
He said Panja Chareesaen, 49, from Kalasin, who was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly shooting the monk, has opened up about the murder and has helped police gather more evidence which can be used against two more people.
Meanwhile, Pol Lt Gen Panya yesterday went to Bung Kan province to collect Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai Sroisangwal, 49, who is being detained by the military.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai, who is a member of Udon Thani police's crime suppression and prevention unit, was arrested in Laos for illegal entry. He was deported yesterday.
Pol Lt Gen Panya said police investigators have yet to question Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai about the monk's murder.
According to Pol Lt Gen Panya, Mr Panja was asked by Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai to kill Phra Bandit and arrived in Udon Thani on Feb 28, the day before the murder.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai assisted Mr Panja in the murder by stalking the victim on Feb 26, 27, and 28 and then taking Mr Panja to the scene of the murder so he could kill the monk, Pol Lt Gen Panya said.
After the murder, Mr Panja was paid an initial sum of 30,000 baht, then four days later Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai travelled to Mr Panja's home in Kalasin and paid him another 20,000 baht, the assistant police chief said. Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chanchai allowed Mr Panja to drive one of his two cars back to Kalasin after the monk's murder, Pol Lt Gen Panya said.