Police searched five more locations in Prachin Buri province today, looking for suspects who may have been involved in the killing of Chaimet Sitthisanitphong, a former Prachin Buri provincial councillor, at the house of Sunthorn Wilawan, mayor of Prachin Buri PAO, on December 11th.
About 100 officers were involved in the searches of three locations in Si Mahapho district and one each in Ban Sang and Prachantakham districts looking for Sunthorn’s canvassers, particularly a headman of Village 3 in Krok Somboon sub-district of Si Mahaphot district.
No suspects were found, however, as it is believed that they had left their houses on or shortly after December 11th.
Police did, however, find two licensed guns in the village headman’s house and some ammunition. A worker at the house told the police that the headman had left for Bangkok on personal business about three days ago.
The searches of the four other locations uncovered one licensed handgun.
It is reported that Crime Suppression Division officers will join the provincial police in searching five additional locations on Monday.
A police report claims that all the suspects wore canvass shoes when they entered Sunthorn’s house on December 11th, and did not take them off, which is culturally highly unusual in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin visited the deceased’s wife today to offer his condolences and to pay his respects to the victim. He alleged that the fatal shooting was instigated by someone around Sunthorn, because Sunthorn and Chaimet appeared to have settled their conflict over a candidacy in the PAO election.
Seven suspects, including Sunthorn, are being held on remand, pending the outcome of the investigation. All are charged with pre-mediated murder.
