The body of a 45-year-old Thai tourist killed on Tuesday when a gunman sprayed bullets into a crowd at Strasbourg's famed Christmas market is expected to arrive back in Thailand on Friday.
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said Thursday that Thai embassy officials in Paris were coordinating with French officials to bring Anupong Suebsaman's body back to Thailand.
"If there are no problems, the body will be transferred from France to Thailand on Dec 14," Mr Don said.
He said Anupong's wife will return home the same day.
Anupong and his wife Ms Naiyana flew to France last weekend. He was killed on the first day of the their holiday. (Photo via Facebook)
Anupong, a noodle factory owner from Chachoengsao was one of three people killed in the crowded market. Twelve other people were injured in the attack that took place about 8pm local time in the heart of the medieval city in eastern France as the market was closing for the day.
Officials said Anupong died on his way to hospital. He and his wife had only just arrived in the city that day. His wife escaped the attack unhurt.
Mr Don also said French officials were still hunt the gunman and were certain he would be arrested soon.
He said Thai embassy officials were also assisting the dead man's family with compensation, which it would be entitled to if it is proved it was a terrorist incident. Security forces were still combing eastern France for the 29-year-old suspect who has a long criminal record and who shouted "God is great!" in Arabic as he sprayed gunfire during his deadly rampage.
National police distributed a photo of the wounded fugitive, identified as Cherif Chekatt, with the warning: "Individual dangerous, above all do not intervene."
The French wanted poster for the killer of Anupong and two others warns citizens they should not try to approach him., but to call the terrorist hotline 197.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers that the French native had run-ins with police starting at age 10 and his first conviction at age 13.
He had been convicted 27 times for a series of crimes, including armed robbery.
Chekatt was flagged as a potential extremist, but Mr Castaner said "the signs had been weak".
Update: Chekatt was shot dead by police Friday morning (Thailand time) in Strasbourg. He tried to resist arrest by three policemen who spotted him by chance on a city street.
Chekatt turned to fire on them and they shot and killed him, a police spokesman said.