KHON KAEN: A man accused of killing his girlfriend in a fit of jealousy has denied the charges, claiming he was only playing Russian roulette with her when the gun went off in his apartment, police said on Saturday.
Police on Saturday took the two suspects — Thongchai “Tam” Klangmuang, 30, and Thampassorn Phuttharaksa, 26 — to the Khon Kaen provincial court to seek approval for the first 12-day detention period. Suspects can be held for up to 84 days before a formal indictment is made.
The pair were arrested on Friday for the murder of Patya Puangsook, 22, who was shot dead at Mr Thongchai’s apartment in the early hours of April 22.
Patya Puangsook, 22, was killed after her boyfriend accused her of flirting. (Photo supplied by Chakrapan Nathanri)
The victim’s decomposing body, with tattoos on both arms, was found in the Huai Phra stream in Muang district of Khon Kaen on the evening of April 24. There was a gunshot wound to the forehead and the skull was dented. There were also many bruises on the body. She had been a resident of Ban Kud Kwang village in Nam Phong district of Khon Kaen.
Mr Thongchai was arrested in Trat and Ms Thampassorn was taken into custody at a resort in Surin province.
The arrests followed a police examination of closed-circuit security video from an apartment in downtown Muang district of Khon Kaen. It showed a man and a woman carrying what was believed to be Patya’s body to a motorcycle.
Pol Col Pakpoom Pisamai, chief of the Muang district station, said on Saturday that police had completed interrogating the two suspects overnight.
Ms Thampassorn was later taken to the apartment for a crime re-enactment, and then to the Huai Phra stream where the body was dumped.
Police said the killing took place after Mr Thongchai quarrelled with Patya, as he was upset that she had been chatting and taking selfies with other men at a restaurant the couple visited earlier in the evening.
Police also pressed an additional charge of riding a vehicle while using illicit drugs against Ms Thampassorn.
During questioning, Mr Thongchai denied all charges and said he would give his statement in court only. Ms Thampassorn denied all charges, except the charge of riding while on drugs. Police opposed bail for the two suspects.
“Tam kept insisting that he did not point a gun at Patya’s head and shot, but he merely played a game of Russian roulette with her,” said Pol Col Pakpoom. “He refused to testify before police interrogators and said he would give his account in court only. He also refused to be taken for a crime re-enactment.”
