BANGKOK, June 13 – The Thai authorities have charged three suspects with robbery, fatal attack and concealment of homicidal death in connection with the disappearance of outspoken businessman Akeyuth Anchanbutr whose body was found and recovered in the southern province of Phatthalung yesterday.
Pol Maj-Gen Prinya Chansuriya, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau said in a telephone interview from Phatthalung that the authorities were empowered to detain the three men for 48 hours after being formally charged.
They were identified as Santiparb Pengduang, 24, who was Akeyuth’s driver, Tivakorn Kuathong, 18 and Chaovalit Woonchum, 24.
Another suspect, named as Suthipong Pimpisan, 28, allegedly hid in the van who used a shoelace to strangle Mr Akeyuth to death, is still at large.
Gen Prinya said the three men were escorted on a flight to Bangkok last night, while Mr Akeyuth’s body should arrive in the capital this morning for autopsy at the Police Forensic Institute.
Pol Maj-General Anuchai Lekbamrung, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau said a police investigation team led by Deputy Police Chief Pol Gen Pansiri Prapawat will meet to follow up on the case today while the three suspects will be taken to identify various locations related to the case in Bangkok.
Police will seek the court’s permission to extend their detention after the 48-hour deadline expires.
Meanwhile, the team of police seeking the Bt5 million cash that suspect Santiparb took from Mr Akeyuth have retrieved Bt4.242 million in cash.
Two million baht cash was found in a plastic bag buried at Mr Santiparb’s grandfather’s home in Phatthalung and Bt2.242 million found in PVC pipe buried at a home of a relative of Santiparb’s father, Ittipol Pengduang, in Songkhla.
