The seventh and final suspect in the love-triangle abduction and murder of a tomboy singer in Bangkok in 2016, also involving a jealous former district police chief, has been arrested in Kanchanaburi.
Crime Suppression Division police arrested Phanumet Meela, 37, alias “Ja Jiew’’ (Sergeant Jiew), at a petrol station in Muang district, Kanchanaburi, early on Thursday.
Mr Phanumet, who formerly served as an army engineer, was one of seven suspects wanted under court warrants for the abduction and murder of Suphaksorn Ponthaisong, 28.
Suphaksorn, who was considered a "handsome woman'', worked as a singer at a restaurant in Sa Kaeo’s Muang district. She was abducted from an apartment at Nong Kangplu area in Bangkok’s Nong Khaem district.
Six other suspects, including Pol Col Amnuay Pongsawat, former superintendent of Ban Pong police station in Ratchaburi province, were caught earlier.
Pol Col Nethi Wongkularp, chief of the CSD’s sub-division 5, said the victim's parents had earlier sought help from Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, then commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. They said a group of men forced their way into their daughter's apartment room in Bangkok and abducted her on the night of Dec 13, 2016.
The parents suspected their daughter had been killed. They alleged a police colonel had masterminded the abduction in a fit of anger because Suphaksorn had been romantically involved with the officer’s woman, Pol Col Nethi said.
Police investigators later found Suphaksorn's naked body buried near the Khwae Noi River in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district.
Arrest warrants were obtained for seven suspects, including Pol Col Amnuay, for colluding in illegally detaining, attacking and murdering a person and concealing the body.
Six were caught. Mr Phanumet fled to a neighbouring country.
The CSD learned he had returned to Kanchanaburi for Buddhist Lent, and arrested him at a petrol station in Kanchanaburi on Thursday morning, Pol Col Nethi said.
During interrogation, Mr Phanamet denied all charges. He said he had not been involved in the abduction of the victim.
CSD police handed the suspect over to Nong Kangplu police station for legal action.