Police are searching for Nawat Tocharoensuk, the former Khon Kaen MP of the Pheu Thai Party, wanted for the murder of the chief administrator of the provincial administrative organisation (PAO) five years ago.
The police say acting on an arrest warrant issued by the Khon Kaen Provincial Court against Mr Nawat on April 3. The court said there was compelling evidence that Mr Nawat was involved in the murder of Suchart Kotprathum, the PAO chief administrator.
Mr Nawat may have been trying to avoid arrest, according to the court. Suchart was shot dead in front of his house in Khon Kaen's Muang district on May 3, 2013.
Police later arrested five people linked to the murder.
They were Pol Sen Sgt Maj Weerasak Chamnanpol, Prapan Sripilai, Boonchuay Jungklang, Piyapong Meekambang and Pol Lt Col Somjit Keowprom, who formerly served as deputy superintendent of Nong Rua police station in Khon Kaen.
On Oct 29, 2014, the Court of the First Instance sentenced Pol Lt Col Somjit to life in prison and Prapan to 38 years, two months and 30 days in jail. The rest were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The two convicts later appealed the ruling.
On Jan 19, 2016, the Appeal Court increased the punishment for Pol Lt Col Somjit and Prapan and overturned the acquittal of the other three.
The court judged the five guilty and sentenced them to death for colluding in the premeditated murder.
However, the Appeal Court commuted the death sentence faced by the five, except for Pol Lt Col Somjit, to life in prison due to their useful statements during the trial hearing. The five are appealing the ruling in the Supreme Court.
According to police, evidence showed Mr Nawat was implicated in the murder and he faced charges of hiring others to kill Suchart. The politician is thought to have fled the country to the Philippines before the arrest warrant was issued.
