However, Gen Pornsak confirmed that police were still searching for the woman’s husband, a prime suspect who has not been since the body of his wife, Sopa Thanimkarn, 39, was found.
Police have yet to release a photo of the fugitive or even name him in public, but state news agency NNT has now reported that Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr Suchart Gunpai, 42, for the charge of murder and hiding the victim’s body.
“We do not know the reason for the murder. From questioning people, it appears that the couple did not have much contact with their neighbors.” Gen Pornsak said.
“A murder like this does not happen often in Phuket, and this is the first case like this I have seen here,” he said.
Suchart and Ms Sopa most recently arrived in Phuket from Nakhon Sri Thammarat to work on Jan 19, staying at a shack in Cherng Talay, where it has now come to light that Suchart’s younger brother is serving as a monk at Wat Cherng Talay under the name “Phra Sujin Chotipanno”, 41.
Phra Sujin yesterday told The Phuket News that his brother loses his temper easily.
“He often did things like a crazy person. He and his wife often came to see me, but lately his wife mostly came alone,” he said.
“They may have a problem together, but his wife is a nice woman,” Phra Sujin said.
Phra Sujin said that he had not heard from his brother since last Thursday (Jan 28), the day before Ms Sopa’s body was found.
“My brother has not called me and not answered my calls. Lately, he looked sad. He showed me a gun once. He told me that a friend gave him the gun as a ‘jamnam’ [pledge or deposit] to him [most likely as collateral for paying back a debt],” he added.