CHUMPHON: The lover of a Provincial Electricity Authority employee held for the murder of his bride-to-be has also been charged with premeditated murder.

Nareumol Chuaysombat, 23, was detained after her office lover Ronnachai Panchart, 26, admitted killing his intended wife Nontiya Kruajaturas, 25, at her room.

Police have charged Nareumol with colluding in premeditated murder, illegal possession of a weapon and carrying it without permission. 

Ms Nareumol was charged after investigators learned she allegedly accompanied Mr Ronnachai to buy a sawn-off shotgun for 7,000 baht. 

She allegedly also drove the car that took her lover to Nontiya’s place, and picked him up afterwards. She then allegedly drove the car when he dumped the gun into a canal, Thai media reported.

Nontiya, a dental health official, was found dead by a colleague early on Tuesday morning in the residential compound of the hospital where she worked. She was killed only days before her planned marriage to Mr Ronnachai.

During interrogation, Ms Nareumol said she never thought of colluding in the murder and when her lover told her he planned to kill his fiancee she had told him not to do it, according to police.

On the night of the murder, Mr Ronnachai had told her to drive him to Nontiya’s living quarters as he wanted to cancel their wedding.

When she picked him up later in the car he told her he had already shot Nontiya dead, Ms Nareumol said. She was shocked and did not know what to do.

He then asked her to drive the car to the canal, where he threw away the shotgun. He also threw in the clothes he wore during the crime, she allegedly told police. She was just doing what he told her to.

Mr Ronnachai reportedly had a heated argument with Nontiya after she found out he was having an affair with Ms Nareumol. He refused to leave his younger lover, even though he was to be married.

Police divers on Friday searched part of the canal and found the gun believed used for the murder.

The police said the case would be wrapped up soon.