Everything based on evidence: police

Pol Colonel Pichai Pokpong, chief of Tha Mai Ruak police, said he welcomed complaints made by relatives of the missing couple – Samart Numjui and wife Orasa Kerdsab – so his work on the case involving Pol Colonel Dr Suphat Laohawatthana could be revealed to the public. He said he wanted people to see that his and his team’s work was based on evidence. 

Police have stopped excavating in Suphat’s ranch after 12 digging sessions turned up nothing. He added that future excavations would only be conducted if witnesses can indicate graves or if there is enough evidence. So far, only three skeletal remains have been found. 

If the remains of Samart and Orasa are identified, Suphat could face the additional charges of premeditated murder, especially since several leads have been found linking the doctor to the disappearance of both persons. Suphat, currently in court custody at Phetchaburi prison, has been charged with restraining a person, theft and the possession of stolen items.

Pichai and a police forensic officer inspected the ranch yesterday and collected evidence, including samples of earth to compare with the earth found in a vehicle owned by Samart, which was found parked at a Nonthaburi house owned by Suphat. Police have also contacted the Myanmar Embassy to help contact the parents of a Myanmar worker who might possibly have been murdered. Police want to obtain DNA samples from the parents to confirm the identification of a skeleton. 

Deputy national police chief Pol Colonel Pansiri Praphawat said police rejected complaints from Samart’s relatives saying that Pichai and other investigators should be replaced. He said the investigators had been fair to all parties involved, though tip-offs about any of them doing anything illegal could be submitted to him in secrecy. 

Samart’s father, Sawang, yesterday also filed a defamation lawsuit with the Law Society of Thailand against Suphat, accusing him of lying that Samart and Orasa had been prosecuted in Myanmar on drug-related charges. The agency’s secretary Sarancha Sricholwatthana said the Law Society would also file a lawsuit if police and public prosecutors decide not to pursue Samart’s suit. 

Meanwhile, Phetchaburi police have been interviewing Yong, a Myanmar migrant worker, who claims that he had been beaten up by Suphat along with fellow worker Eta, whose skeleton is believed to be one of the three found in the ranch. Yong explained that he had been strangled but managed to escape after regaining consciousness, though Eta was not as lucky. 

He went on to say that Suphat had never given him the Bt2,000 salary he had promised when he was picked up in Chiang Mai, adding that he only got Bt100 or Bt200 a time. He said there were three other Myanmar workers who had travelled down to the ranch with him. 

Yong is currently under police protection.