A Pakistani man and his Thai wife have been arrested for allegedly murdering an Indian man over a business conflict in Phangnga.
Pol Maj Gen Niphon Panitcharoen, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 8, said on Sunday the arrests followed the discovery of the body of a foreigner on the side of a road in tambon Lo Yung, Takua Thung district on May 15.
Police were able to identify the dead man as Indian citizen Poulose Varghese. He was found to have entered Thailand on April 19 together with a 32-year-old Pakistani man, Yasir Ashfaq, who is now the first suspect in the murder.
The officers found Poulose and Mr Yasir jointly owned a business in Dubai, and that he also has a share in a tour company belonging to Mr Yasir's 39-year-old Thai wife, who is the second suspect.
Police believe the suspects tricked the victim into investing in their businesses. When he became aware of the fraud, the suspects began planning the murder.
Footage from surveillance cameras shows the suspects taking Poulose from a car to the location where the murder took place.
The officers on Sunday searched the suspects' house in tambon Khokkloi of Takua Thung district and found several pieces of evidence, including a gun, and the dead man's shoes and clothes.
The car they used to bring Poulose to the murder site was found at their condominium in Phuket's Muang district.