Body of missing Japanese man found off Bang Na-Trat Road

The late man’s Thai wife Phornchanok Chaiyapa and her cabbie boyfriend were taken to the site, near the 25km marker on Bang Na-Trat, by police, who hoped it would encourage them to confess. Neither of the suspects had been charged earlier despite police believing that they had a hand in the disappearance of Yoshinori Tetsuo, 79.
Earlier, a police source said surveillance camera footage obtained from the apartment building whereTetsuo resided, showed Phornchanok and her boyfriend Somchai carrying a large suitcase into the apartment. This was before the Japanese language tutor went missing earlier this month.
Huai Khwang police in Bangkok and officers based in Samut Prakan are now jointly investigating the case, with Samut Prakan officers yesterday visiting several locations near two houses – one of which belongs to Phornchanok, 47 – and two hospitals to look for clues.

Police to look into death of first husband
Investigators have also started looking into the death of Kasitosi Tanaka, who was also married to Phornchanok and allegedly died from a fall down the staircase 11 years ago.
The death happened not long after he married Phornchanok, though Bang Phli police recorded that the death had resulted from an accident, which was backed by public |prosecutors, deputy Samut Prakan police chief Pol Colonel Yongyuth Techarat said.
Prior to the discovery of Tetsuo’s body, he said this case would be reopened if there is any new evidence – either through police discovery or via a statement by Phornchanok – indicating that Tanaka’s death was an act of murder.
Phornchanok and Somchai were detained at a military facility in Bangkok, and police say the suspects insisted during the three-hour-long interrogation that they did not know where Tetsuo was.
Another source said detectives had learned from further questioning Phornchanok that she had taken her husband to hospital recently and that they had had a fight near On Nut BTS station.
Both Phornchanok and Somchai are being detained under martial law for an initial seven days, though neither has been charged with any offence.
Police, meanwhile, will continue gathering more details, the source said.
Ruengsak said later that Tetsuo’s current status was regarded as missing, and that written requests had been forwarded to government agencies or hospitals asking them to report the discovery of bodies or deaths of foreign men between September 21 and October 14.
He said later that Pol Maj-General Phongphan Wannaphak, acting commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, had been appointed as chief investigator for the case.
At a later stage, public prosecutors could be possibly invited to take part as advisers, he added.