Two more surrender in murder case

CHON BURI: Two more suspects in the murder of a young couple at Buddha Mountain have surrendered to police, but the alleged mastermind remains at large and is believed to be hiding in Cambodia.

Kritsana Sisuk, 22, and alleged gunman Narong Warintharawet, 22, turned themselves in separately to police in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Monday night. Both were then taken to Sattahip police station in Chon Buri and charged yesterday.

The two arrests brought the number of suspects in custody in connection with the fatal double shooting to five.

All are suspected of involvement in the shooting of Paweena Namuangrak, 20, and her friend Anantachai Jitram, 21, in the parking lot of Khao Chee Chan (Buddha Mountain) in Sattahip on July 29.

The three other suspects are Kiatisak S ur ans a eng mil bo on ,35, Say ant Sisuk ,43, and Jirasak Unaiban, 34.

Pol Lt Col Thaweesak Suethong, deputy superintendent at Satthahip, took Mr Kritsana to the crime scene yesterday morning for a re-enactment.

According to police, Mr Kritsana said he accompanied the alleged mastermind Panya Yingdung, a Phuket nightclub operator, to Chon Buri because he thought the man wanted to patch up his relationship with Paweena.

Pol Maj Gen Chalermkiart Srivorakhan, deputy national police chief, said reports that Mr Panya had already been arrested were not true.

Police investigators are working on the assumption the prime suspect made for the Thai-Cambodian border after the slayings, Pol Maj Gen Chalermkiart said.

Crime Suppression Division commander, Pol Maj Gen Maitree Chimcherd, said police had information that Mr Panya was hiding in a village in Cambodia.

Cambodian authorities have been asked to apprehend him, he said.