A second suspect in the murder of two men and wounding of a tambon administration organisation (TAO) chairman was arrested when he reported to a police station in Nakhon Nayok on Thursday.
Phuriwat Nimruang, 52, one of three suspects named in arrest warrants, was detained as soon as he turned up at Dong Lakhon police station to surrender. He was accompanied by two lawyers.
Mr Phuriwat, alias “Guman Dam’’ (black child), is one of three suspects wanted for the Feb 14 attack by gunmen on the van carrying the three victims.
The deputy chairman of Bang Somboon TAO, Somchai Muang-kard, 63, and the driver, Watchara Nutdaeng, 52, were killed in the attack.
TAO chairman Yannakorn Thorprayoon, 44, was hit by bullets in the left shoulder and left leg and rushed to hospital. He survived.
Their van was attacked on Pak Thor-Toey Noi Road in tambon Sri Chula of Muang district around 9pm on Feb 14.
Pol Col Panya Ruendee, superintendent of Dong Lakhon police station, took Mr Phuriwat into a room for questioning. The two lawyers accompanied them.
He reportedly told police that he was there to declare his innocence, that he was not involved in the fatal shooting.
Police said he was arrested immediately, even though he surrendered, because he was already wanted on a court warrant in his name.
Thawatchai Sricharn, 48, was the first suspect to be caught, arrested at a house in tambon Sri Chula on Tuesday morning. Mr Thawatchai at the time denied any involvement, but admitted he was the man named in the arrest warrant.
According to police, on Wednesday night Mr Thawatchai admitted he was the person who prepared a car for the men who carried out the attack.
The third suspect, Ratthaphon Tansuwannarat, known as “Big’’ and "Guman Khao" (white child), remains at large.
Police allege Mr Ratthaphon was the gunman and Mr Phuriwat drove the vehicle used in the attack.
National police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk on Thursday set up a special team to handle the case. It is headed by Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, an assistant national police chief.
The attack, which made news headlines and drew huge social media attention, was seen as a serious offence involving influential figures, a police source said.