Police have pressed charges of premeditated murder and theft against a man accused of killing his wealthy girlfriend in Bangkok in late July.
Investigators believe 33-year-old Atsaya Chaipa was behind the murder of 39-year-old businesswoman Thitima Tangwibunphanit.
Her body was found on July 30 in a hotel room. She was believed to have been killed a few days before her body was found. Her skull was cracked and a blood-stained baseball bat had been left next to her.
Thitima was last seen on security camera footage entering the room with Mr Atsaya around 10.40pm on July 26. About three hours later, Mr Atsaya was captured on film leaving the room alone.
Mr Atsaya was apprehended close to Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia's Siem Reap province on Friday. His 32-year-old brother, Anuwat Chaipa, was also arrested for allegedly aiding his brother's escape. The siblings were later deported back to Thailand.
Pol Lt Col Pasit Saichonsak, deputy superintendent of Chokchai police station in Bangkok, said yesterday charges of premeditated murder and theft were brought against Mr Atsaya while his brother faces the charge of helping the suspect escape.
Mr Atsaya told officers that he and Thitima had been going out together for more than a year and the two often quarrelled about his ex-wife and their children.
The suspect said his girlfriend hit him every time they had an argument, according to Pol Lt Col Pasit.
According to police, Mr Atsaya said that on the day of murder, Thitima used a baseball bat to hit him. He managed to grab the bat from her before repeatedly hitting the woman's head.
After Thitima became motionless, the suspect said he threw the bat on the bed and left the room, the officer said. Mr Atsaya later went to see Mr Anuwat, telling his younger brother he wanted to join him on his holiday in Cambodia, Pol Lt Col Pasit said.
He denied stealing money from his girlfriend after the attack, saying he used his own money to escape, the officer said. Thitima's younger brother, Bundit Tangwibunphanit, said a gold bracelet and 200,000 baht in cash that belonged to his sister are missing.
Mr Atsaya was taken to re-enact his alleged crime at three spots. The siblings were later escorted to a criminal court, where police sought their further detention and denied their bail requests on the basis that they were a flight risk.