Additional criminal charges are likely to be pressed against many of the police officers already held for alleged obstruction of the investigation into the murder of a highway police officer at Kaman Nok's dinner party in Nakhon Pathom last Wednesday.
The extra charges are likely following the recovery and examination of the server box from the security camera at the scene of the murder. It had been removed after the shooting and tossed into a pond.
Investigators have also found evidence of regular payments made to police by the gunman, who was said to have been working for the dinner party host, influential local businessman Praween Chankhlai, alias Kamnan Nok.
Pol Col Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said on Tuesday that CSD investigators were awaiting information from the camera server at Mr Praween's home in tambon Takong, Muang district, Nakhon Pathom.
The server box was found to be missing after the murder that brought the Sept 6 dinner party to a sudden end. A gunman fired multiple shots at Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, a guest at the party, killing the 32-year-old highway police inspector on the spot.
The server was later recovered and was being examined to extract whatever information it still held. The laboratory results were expected on Thursday or Friday. The server was a crucial piece of evidence in the prosecution of those involved and implicated in the murder, Pol Col Anek said.
A source said there were 55 people at last Wednesday's party, including 28 police officers. Mr Praween’s associates and the other guests would also be called in for questioning.
Six of the police guests have already been dismissed from the force and face charges of obstructing the investigation immediately after the shooting.
The six officers are accused of destroying evidence of a crime and helping the killer and Mr Praween flee the scene. The gunman, Thananchai Manmak, was shot dead by police in Kanchanaburi province on Friday, while Mr Praween surrendered to police on Thursday evening.
Some of the six officers were likely to face additional charges of malfeasance under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, the source said.
According to the source, a money trail linked Mr Praween, gunman Thananchai and police who were at the party. Thananchai had regularly transferred money to five of the six officers.
Investigators believed Thananchai was tasked with giving money to people on behalf of Mr Praween, a former tambon chief and influential local politician and businessman.
The murder victim's immediate superior, Pol Col Vachira Yaothaisong, 44, was found dead at his home in tambon Khu Khot of Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani province, on Monday. He had a single bullet wound to his right temple. The slug exited through his left temple. A 9mm pistol was found on the floor on the right side of his body.
Doctors said he had died 8-12 hours before the death was reported. Police believe he committed suicide, blaming himself for having invited Pol Maj Siwakorn, his subordinate, to the dinner party where he was slain.
Blood smears on the floor had suggested the body may have been moved, but forensic examiners concluded they were caused by an automatic robot vacuum cleaner. The spent bullet was found lodged in the machine.
Outside surveillance cameras caught the sound of one gunshot fired inside the house.
Pol Col Vachira was commander of Highway Police sub-division 2. He was Pol Maj Siwakorn's immediate superior.