A drinking session between two friends in Khon Kaen ended in tragedy after one man accused the other of being a ghost before killing him with a hammer, police said.
Wichan Khunsri, 59, was arested on Thursday morning after the incident in Nam Phong district.
Police said Mr Wichan and his friend Banjong Daphaeng, 57, had been drinking white liquor together in a hut the suspect owned when an argument broke out.
During the dispute, Mr Wichan reportedly accused Banjong of being a Phi Pop, a cannibalistic ghost in Thai folklore, before retrieving a hammer from inside the hut and attacking him.
The suspect repeatedly struck the victim on the head and body approximately 20 times, causing severe injuries, police said. The victim was rushed to Nam Phong Hospital but then died.
The suspect did not attempt to flee and remained at the scene when officers arrived. Mr Wichan was then taken into custody and handed over to investigators to face a charge of assault causing death.
