Cops arrest 5 suspects in 'Lunlabelle' case

Cops arrest 5 suspects in 'Lunlabelle' case

Five people were arrested on Friday in connection with the death of model Thitima "Lunlabelle" Noraphanpiphat after the Thon Buri Criminal Court on Thursday approved their arrest warrants.

Chaiyaphon Phanna, 29, Nathi Sathiphongsathaphon, 33, Phikunthong Bunpha, 24, Koset Ritnithiroek, 35, and Kritsada Lohitdi, 27, were accused of assisting Rachadech "Nam Oun" Wongthabutr, according to police.

Mr Rachadech, a male model, has been charged with detaining the victim in a way that caused her death, molestation, and committing an indecent act. Ms Thitima was found dead after being escorted by Mr Rachadech from a party back to his condominium.

An autopsy, performed by Chulalongkorn Hospital, found that Thitima died of extreme alcohol intoxication with a blood alcohol concentration of 418 milligrammes per 100 millilitres -- enough to render an individual unconscious and/or cause death.

Pol Maj Gen Pakkapong Pongpetra, chief of Metropolitan Police Bureau, said police have evidence to support the charges filed against five people.

He said officers spent one month collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses, which led them to seek warrants of these five persons.

The five were present at a party at the house in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district on Sept 16 which was attended by Thitima before she was found dead the next morning.

Pol Maj Gen Pakkapong said the five suspects maintained their innocence during the questioning. He refused to give details about the evidence leading to the fresh arrests.

A source close to the investigation said police will ask the court to approve detention of the suspects today and will oppose bail requests due to concerns that the accused will interfere with the witnesses.

Theppitak Prueksasitthirote, the suspects' lawyer, said he will apply for bail for his clients' temporary release and that the request is likely to be granted because they are not flight risks.

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