Thailand’s Criminal Court issues warrants for alleged Taiwan murder accomplices

The Thai man who murdered a pregnant woman and her husband in Taiwan might not have acted alone. Thailand’s Criminal Court has now issued arrest warrants for 2 alleged accomplices. Now, police from the Crime Suppression Division are on the hunt for the 2 alleged partners in crime.

This news comes after the prime suspect, 35 year old “Santi”, handed himself in to the Royal Thai Police on June 17 (Friday). Police arrested him at the Border Police Division 335 in Chiang Dao district in the northern province of Chiang Mai. He was immediately taken to Bangkok.

During questioning, Santi denied killing the couple, claiming it was the work of a Taiwanese mafia gang. Police continued interrogating Santi overnight, and yesterday, the commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau said that Santi and 2 other Thai nationals killed the couple over a drug business conflict.

The commissioner said the other 2 alleged criminals returned to Thailand on June 11. They are identified as Samart Sae Lee and Thanawat Poomkhemthong.

Santi was seen in security camera footage with the couple when the three had an appointment on June 8. He drove their car to the train station in the early morning of June 9, and flew back to Thailand later that day.

The bodies of the husband and wife were found in their car outside a high-speed rail station near Taipei on June 12. The bodies of the couple were covered in bruises, suggesting they had been brutally murdered somewhere else, dragged into the car and dropped near the train station.

Santi was charged with premeditated murder after he surrendered to police. Yesterday the Criminal Court, as requested by police, ordered Santi to be detained for 12 days, pending a formal indictment. He is also wanted for the murder in Taiwan.

The woman, 35 year old Potjanee, had been pregnant with twins. Her husband was 32 year old Prasert Norat.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post