The owners of the fireworks warehouse that exploded on July 29, which claimed 12 lives, injured 121 people, and damaged 292 houses, were arrested at Sadao Immigration Checkpoint in Songkhla province on Saturday (5 Aug).
Immigration authorities reported that the owners of the warehouse, identified as Sompong Nakul and Piyanuch Peungwirawat, were taken into custody as they crossed the border from Malaysia. The suspects were apprehended swiftly by local police after being flagged by the immigration center’s detection system, which had them under arrest warrant.
The suspects were taken to the police station in Sadao and questioned by local police and officers from Narathiwat’s Muno District. They were set to be transported to Muno Police Station, which has direct jurisdiction over the case, with Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn expected to personally monitor the interrogation.
In addition to last month’s tragic incident, the couple’s association with a previous incident in 2016 has also raised concerns. They were arrested for storing and selling 60 tons of fireworks and flammable materials without a permit, but the case was not taken to the provincial court, leading to questions about potential corruption and irregularities. (NNT)
