Police have applied for an arrest warrant for a third suspect in connection with the June 29 murder of entertainment tycoon Somyos Suthangkura.
Investigators on Friday asked the Phra Khanong provincial court to issue a warrant for Montri Charoenrat, 46, a former deputy chairman of Bang Due tambon administration organisation in Pathum Thani, for alleged collusion in the murder of Somyos, Thai media reported.
Mr Montri had provided a gun and a motorcycle for Chom Chainarong, 53, who has been arrested, to give to two other accomplices for use in the murder, according to police.
Mr Chom, alias Ajarn, was apprehended in Phetchaburi province shortly after the arrest of Phanuphong Rasana, 32, the confessed gunman who was detained by police on Soi Charan Sanitwong 35 late on Monday afternoon.
Mr Chom admitted to paying Mr Phanuphong to kill the 62-year-old entertainment tycoon and former MP, who was gunned down as he and his wife Rasami Suthangkura, were leaving a Chinese restaurant in Bangkok's Suan Luang district on June 29, police said. The money was provided by another person.
Mr Phanuphong admitted to shooting Somyos in the restaurant's car park. He said Mr Chom had given him a bag containing cash, a .38 revolver and a photo of Somyos. He claimed he was taken to the restaurant by motorcycle and the target was pointed out to him.
Somyos was shot four times -- twice in the back, once in the face and once in the head.
Pol Maj Gen Akradej Pimolsri, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, earlier said Mr Chom was hired to put together a murder team and given one million baht to get the job done. Mr Chom claimed he kept only 100,000 baht for himself.
According to Mr Chorm, the mastermind, who has not yet been named, claimed Somyos stole millions of baht intended for use as a bribe to get charges dropped in a major drug case, police said.