SONGKHLA: Six people including a deputy mayor, an assistant village head and a soldier have been arrested for the murder of the chief engineer of Singha Nakhon municipality.
Deputy national police chief Paichit Srivorakhan said on Wednesday that Kamol Seenuan, 46, was killed by gunmen in tambon Pawong of Muang district on July 11.
He was driving his Honda City car from the Singha Nakhon municipal office to his house in Chana district at the time. He was shot about seven times.
Three of the arrested suspects were identified as Singha Nakhon deputy mayor Jongcharoen Maneerat, 51, who is the suspected mastermind; Sgt Maj Prawit Nucharoen, 49, suspected of recruiting the gunmen; and Preechapol Kattho, 52, suspected of tracking the victim's movements.
The others were the suspected gunmen: Adul Daewosanung, 45-year-old assistant village head in tambon Baro of Yala's Yaha district; Suhaimee Useng, 33 of Yala; and Mahama Jewaesulong, 46, also of Yala.
The six were charged with collusion in premeditated murder and illegal possession and carrying of firearms and bullets. Mr Jongcharoen and Sgt Maj Prawit were also charged with masterminding the murder. All of them denied all the charges.
Police also seized three vehicles allegedly used on the date of the murder: a silver Toyota Altis car registered in Bangkok that allegedly carried the gunmen; a black Nissan Big M pickup truck registered in Pattani province suspected of being used to follow the victim; and another silver Toyota Altis registered in Songkhla, also used to follow the victim.
Pol Gen Chalermkiat said the victim had an ongoing conflict with Singha Nakhon mayor Thanakorn Sangkharo. A group of employees at the municipal office earlier filed a malfeasance complaint against the mayor, and Kamol was a witness for the complainants.
The mayor had accused Kamol of corruption and in February transferred him to an inactive post elsewhere.
The deputy national police chief said there were also disputes over municipal construction projects. Investigators would find out if the mayor was also involved in the murder.
The six suspects were arrested in various southern border provinces late on Tuesday night after police identified them from surveillance camera recordings on routes where they followed the victim and their 399 kilometre escape routes to the southern border provinces.
Accoording to police detectives, the team of killers was paid 250,000 baht.
