The family of land fraud suspect Thawatchai Anukul, who died mysteriously last week while in Department of Special Investigation (DSI) custody, on Monday raised questions over his death.
During a meeting Monday with Thung Song Hong police investigators, Thawatchai's younger brother Chainarong Anukul, 63, expressed doubts over the DSI's version of events, which states that his brother used a pair of socks to hang himself.
Mr Chainarong said the marks found on Thawatchai's neck bore the imprint of an implement thinner than a microphone cable, and could not have possibly been made by a pair of socks.
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He raised doubts over the information given by Sommart Nakwong, the security official on duty at the DSI's detention cell during the time when Thawatchai reportedly hanged himself. Mr Sommart told his boss that Thawatchai had used a shirt, though later told police the suspect used socks to commit the deed.
Mr Chainarong has requested that forensic officials from the police's Institute of Forensic Medicine are included in the DSI's forensic team that will conduct a second forensic examination on Thawatchai's body.
The Institute of Forensic Medicine earlier reported in its initial autopsy result that Thawatchai died of abdominal haemorrhaging and a ruptured liver from being hit with a solid, blunt object together with asphyxiation from hanging, countering the DSI's claim that he committed suicide by hanging.
Thawatchai, 66, was a key suspect in several land fraud cases and was allegedly involved in unlawfully issuing land deeds to wealthy people. He was arrested in Nonthaburi province last Monday after having been on the run for almost a decade for his alleged role in numerous land fraud cases in Phuket and Phangnga.
Pol Col Mana Phochuay, chief of Thung Song Hong police station, however, said it was not suspicious that Mr Sommart's account conflicts with the autopsy result because people in such situations can become overly excited and confused.
The DSI put Mr Sommart through a lie detector test, the results of which have yet to be reported back to the police.
Director-General of the DSI Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang examines the door of the lockup cell where the DSI claims Thawatchai tried successfully to strangle himself to death, using his socks. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)