Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) arrested the suspect, named only as ‘Mr Saiwai’ on Srisuthat Rd in Phuket Town under an arrest warrant issued by the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Court on Sept 17, 2006.
He is wanted on charges of murder, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and carrying a firearm in a public place without permission or reasonable cause.
According to the CIB, the suspect allegedly shot and killed his wife in 2006 before fleeing the scene and disappearing for nearly two decades.
With the statute of limitations for the case due to expire in September this year, investigators from CSD Division 3 launched a renewed effort to locate the fugitive.
Police said their investigation revealed that after the killing, Saiwai fled first to Bangkok, where he allegedly sold the .22-calibre handgun used in the crime to a motorcycle taxi rider for B4,000 to finance his escape.
Investigators said he then changed both his first and last names in an effort to conceal his identity and evade capture. Over the following years, he moved between several provinces, including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sri Thammarat and Phuket, earning a living as a welder while avoiding contact with relatives to prevent police tracing his whereabouts.
Officers eventually determined that the suspect had settled quietly in Phuket. After confirming his identity through their investigation, police placed him under surveillance before arresting him on Srisuthat Rd.
The suspect has since been handed over to investigators at Nakhon Ratchasima Mueang Police Station to face legal proceedings.
Police said Saiwai initially confessed to the charges, telling investigators that he killed his wife out of jealousy after suspecting she was having an affair with another man.
According to the CIB, the couple became involved in a heated argument before the suspect allegedly fired two shots from a .22-calibre pistol, killing his wife at the scene. He then immediately fled to avoid arrest.
The CIB said the arrest brought an end to the suspect’s nearly 20 years as a fugitive and ensured the case would proceed before the statute of limitations expired.