The Na Thawi Provincial Court on Monday approved arrest warrants for two more suspects allegedly involved in the trafficking of Rohingya people from Myanmar.
The suspects are identified as Chonthicha Chaimanee, 48, a Songkhla native, and Soniang Anu, 48, a Myanmar man, said Pol Maj Gen Praween Pongsirin, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 8 and head of the investigation team.
The latest arrest warrants bring the total number of suspects to 155. Of them, 90 have been detained while the rest are still at large, Maj Gen Praween said.
Arrest warrants were also issued for 77 suspects who allegedly laundered profits from trafficking. Police have detained 37 of them, and are hunting for the remaining 40, the officer said.
One of the suspects is a Padang Besar businessman named Supat Santipiyakul, also known as Ko Tok, who police say is hiding in Malaysia.
Thai authorities are working with Malaysian police to track him down, Pol Maj Gen Praween said.
Meanwhile, another four suspects -- three army officers and one navy officer -- will be handed over to prosecutors next month.
They are Col Natthasit Maksuwan, Capt Wisut Bunnak, Capt Santad Phetnoi and Cdr Kampanat Sangthongchin. Police expect to wrap up the investigation by today and forward it to the prosecution.
Meanwhile, another major trafficking suspect, Malay Tohdin, the ex-chief of tambon Puyu administration in Satun who turned himself in last May, yesterday had a stroke while being detained at the Na Thawi prison in Songkhla and has been transferred to Hat Yai Hospital.
