The manager of Nida Patcharaveerapong has admitted to a false statement charge as police target another man believed to have guided all five people on board the vessel from which the actress plunged to her death on how to finesse their statements to authorities.
Pol Col Jaturon Anurakbundit, chief of Muang district police in Nonthaburi, said on Monday Idsarin “Gatick’’ Juthasuksawat confessed to police that she had given false statements to investigators.
Pol Col Jaturon refused to go into details about her confession, allegedly made after she reported to police on the false statement charge.
Ms Idsarin, who also was a close friend of Nida, confirmed to reporters she had made a confession after emerging from the two-hour meeting with police, but did not offer details.
She was charged with giving false statements to police which could cause damage to other people. The charge carries a fine of up to 4,000 baht and/or a maximum jail term of two years.
She was accompanied to the police station by former Palang Pracharath Party MP Sira Jenjaka, who is now her advisor.
Mr Sira said Ms Idsarin had told police the full truth and warned the other four people on the speedboat to tell the truth.
She was one of the five people on the speed boat when Nida, nicknamed "Tangmo", fell into the Chao Phraya River on Feb 24. She was the only one who admitted the allegation pressed by investigators.
The other four people on board faced more serious charges, but all denied the allegations. They were Wisapat "Sand" Manomairat, Nitas "Job" Kiratisoothisathorn, Tanupat "Por" Lerttaweewit and Phaiboon "Robert" Trikanjananun.
On Monday, Mr Nitas also reported to police at the same police station on charges of abetting other people to avoid criminal charges and destroying evidence.
Pol Col Jaturon said police will press charges against another person believed to be offering advice to all five people on the vessel on how they should talk to investigators.
The police station chief said the sixth suspect was not lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd, who met two people after the incident and refused to accept them as his clients.