Police late Wednesday arrested four men including an engineering company owner and a retired army colonel for last year's murder of a solar cell company chairman who wanted to build a competing business.
Crime Suppression Division officers said Withoon Kreetatorn, 38, a former Phetchaburi provincial councilor, was arrested in Muang district of Nakhon Pathom with five guns.
Col Somsak Muifaeng, a 62-year-old native of Chon Buri province, was detained in Huai Khwang district of Bangkok. Also arrested were Chotitiwat Jirapatputitana, 44, the Fachai Engineering Co he owns in Din Daeng district, Bangkok, and Warawut Pasuk, 43, who was arrested in Muang district, Phetchaburi.
Police said the murder on Nov 17 was planned and carried out to look like a road rage incident. The Honda Accord car of Akaranan Mongkolchonsawat, 56, was chased by a Honda Civic to the entrance of Lully Ville housing estate in Muang district of Samut Prakan.
At that point, both sides stopped their cars, exited the vehicles and, police said, "a brawl ensued". One man returned to the Honda Civic, got a gun and shot Akaranan dead.
The victim well-known in the area as a competent engineer, and as father of a judge.
Detectives later discovered that the murder was probably over a conflict within the solar energy company. Akaranan had planned to leave and establish his own business, possibly depriving the original company of its customer base.
A hit team from Phetchaburi province reportedly received 400,000 baht for carrying out the murder.