Police have mounted a nationwide manhunt for a Spanish man believed to be the prime suspect in the gruesome murder and dismemberment of his compatriot in Bangkok.
A Thai woman who was seen with Artur Segarra Princep, 37, in Surin on Friday was questioned yesterday by Surin police. She claimed he had fled the country after seeing his picture on the TV news.
Police said they had found where the body of David Bernat, 40, had been chopped up but did not disclose further details.
A motorcycle believed to have been used by Mr Segarra Princep was found abandoned near the Cambodian border but police believe he may still be in Thailand.
Police used social media to post pictures of Mr Segarra Princep and Pritsana "Ploi" Saen-ubon — who is in police custody — and shared them with operators of all forms of public transport. Ms Pritsana has not been charged with any offence.
Metropolitan Police Bureau acting chief Sanit Mahathavorn is seeking cooperation from operators of trains and public buses, hired motorcycles, passenger vans, taxis and tuk tuks.
Mr Segarra Princep is suspected of involvement in a plot to kidnap, extort and kill Spanish businessman Bernat, either as the mastermind or the actual killer.
Body parts later identified as belonging to Bernat were found in the Chao Phraya River this week.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said he had ordered all city police stations to seek cooperation from their social networks including Line to help track down Mr Segarra Princep.
He said 80% of criminals used public transport to escape after committing crimes. In such cases, he said, social media would reach a lot more people than using television and newspapers to seek public cooperation.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said police were now gathering evidence before issuing warrants for the arrest of those involved in the killing of the Spanish businessman.
Although investigators do not yet have evidence to bring murder charges against Mr Segarra Princep, they could detain him for immigration violations as his visa expired on Dec 10.
Bernat disappeared from his apartment in Klong Toey on Jan 20. Body parts found along the Chao Phraya between Jan 30 and Feb 3 were later confirmed as his.
Forensic experts believe he was killed between Jan 25 and 27.
Pritsana, 22, admitted Mr Segarra Princep had returned to Surin with her by motorcycle and had stayed at her house in tambon Samrong since Jan 31.
She told police that Mr Segarra Princep fled on Friday night after seeing his face on the television news while they were in a karaoke bar in tambon Tenmee in Muang district.
When he noticed people looking at him with suspicion, Mr Segarra Princep immediately left the bar and rode off on his motorbike, Ms Pritsana said.
Staff at the bar alerted police yesterday morning and this led the officers to bring the woman in for questioning.
Ms Pritsana said she had known Mr Segarra Princep for more than six months while she worked in Bangkok.
However, she insisted she did not know anything about his activities and denied involvement with any crime.
