The man, Chatchai Torkaew, 25, was arrested in Nongbua Lampu province in Isan on a warrant issued on September 24 on charges of first degree murder and robbery.
Police allege that on May 29 Chatchai followed Nongluk Thaworn, 42, to her home in Soi Bangniew, Srisoonthorn, and used a kitchen knife to stab and kill her before grabbing a B20,000 gold necklace from around her neck and then climbing over a fence.
Investigators following the case discovered that Chatchai had hidden in Kankayha village for at least a month before going back to his home town in Nongbua Lampu.
After his capture, police said, Chatchai confessed to all charges against him and told police he had killed Ms Nongluk for the gold necklace. He added that he had thrown the knife into a nearby klong.
Many of the victim’s relatives, however, believe that Chatchai was hired to kill Ms Nongluk because of a business dispute.
This morning (Octover 20) Thalang police planned to re-enact the murder at Ms Nongluk’s house but found that a large and angry crowd had gathered there.
Fearing that Chatchai might be attacked, they cancelled that part of the procedure and settled instead for him re-enacting throwing away the knife, at a site about seven kilometres away.