The suspect, identified as Kiatisak Surangsaengmiboon, 35, was detained about 11pm in Sa Kaeo’s Khao Chakan district and taken to Chonburi for interrogation by the police team probing the murder case, he said.
Kiatisak is the fourth on the police’s list of wanted suspects to be held in the murder case. All of their arrest warrants were previously approved.
He admitted to driving a Honda CR-V, one of at least three vehicles used in last Sunday’s murders of Anantachai Jariram, 20, and Paveena Namuangrak, 20, said Gen Chalermkiat.
The suspect took the owner of Patong’s Pum Pui bar, 39-year-old Panya Yingdang, believed to be the mastermind, and other suspects, including the hired hitmen, to the crime scene, said Gen Chalermkiat.
The exact number of gunmen wasn’t specified as Kiatisak only told the police there was more than one gunman involved, said Gen Chalermkiat, adding that four guns were retrieved after Kiatisak led investigators to where weapons used in the murders were dumped.
The Honda CR-V was also seized for examination from a house in Buachet district in Surin province and where an unnamed younger brother of Panya was detained for questioning in connection with the case, Gen Chalermkiat said.
Kiatisak also admitted to taking Panya to his home in Sa Keao’s Khao Chakan district for one night after the killings, he said.
Provincial Police Region 2 Commissioner, Lt Gen Jitti Rodbangyang, said Kiatisak also admitted to dropping Panya off near a border checkpoint without elaborating exactly where.
He said the motive behind the murders was likely a soured relationship between Paveena and Panya who reportedly gave the murdered woman a lot of money recently. Police would seek arrest warrants for more suspects in the next few days, said Lt Gen Jitti.
The first suspect, 43-year-old Sayan Sisuk, a resident of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was arrested on Tuesday (July 31) after the Chonburi provincial court issued warrants for the first three suspects.
Aside from Panya and Sayan, the other suspect was Jirasak Unaiban, 34, a Phuket resident.
Panya is a businessman and owner of the Pum Pui nightclub, located in a red-light district along Phuket’s famous Bangla Rd, in Patong. Paveena used to work in the club.
Police also believe she could have been murdered out of jealousy as one of the suspects is known to have developed a crush on her, but sources told the authorities it was unrequited. She allegedly quit the club to distance herself from the unwanted suitor, police said, without naming the man.
Jirasak, meanwhile had contacted police in Phuket and turned himself in, said Gen Chalermkiat, adding he was being taken to Chonburi for interrogation.