Last man seen with Lunlabelle arrested

Last man seen with Lunlabelle arrested

Police escort Rachadech Wongtabutr, 25, into a room at Metropolitan Police Division 8 in Bangkok early Wednesday morning after his arrest in relation to the death of product presenter Thitima
Police escort Rachadech Wongtabutr, 25, into a room at Metropolitan Police Division 8 in Bangkok early Wednesday morning after his arrest in relation to the death of product presenter Thitima "Lunlabelle" Noraphanpiphat, who died after a party at a house in Nonthaburi province early last week. (Photo supplied)

Police have arrested Rachadech "Nam Oun" Wongtabutr on three charges relating to the death of product presenter Thitima Noraphanpiphat, better known as Lunlabelle.

The 25-year-old was taken into custody at a petrol station in Thon Buri district about 1am on Wednesday when he stopped to refuel his vehicle, in which his parents were also travelling.

Mr Radachech was the last person seen with Lunlabelle, in security camera footage, before her body was found on a sofa in the lobby of a condominium building where he lives, in the early hours of Sept 17.  

He had earlier refused to open the door to police when they went to his room at the condo on Ratchadaphisek-Tha Phra Road to show him a warrant for his arrest. 

He was taken to Metropolitan Police Division 8 and then to Bukkhalo police station for interrogation that continued well into Wednesday morning. He was then charged with detaining Lunlabelle in a way that caused her death, molestation and committing an indecency.

Metropolitan police chief Pol Lt Gen Suthipong Wongpin said at the Bukkhalo police station that Mr Rachadech admitted to being the man seen in the surveillance camera footage carrying the unconscious Thitima, 25, into the condominium in Thon Buri on the evening of Sept 16, and later carrying her to a sofa in the lobby in the early hours of the next morning.

She was found dead on the sofa by a security guard.

However, he denied all the charges and insisted he did not know the woman would die, believing that she was only drunk and unconscious, Pol Lt Gen Suthipong said.

The Bangkok police chief said investigators would look into whether any other person at the party-house in Bang Bua Thong district of Nonthaburi where Thitima was hired to serve drinks should also be charged. 

According to police, an autopsy found that Thitima died of extreme alcoholic intoxication, with a blood alcohol concentration of 418 milligrammes per 100 millilitres - a level that causes unconsciousness and death.


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