Police have pressed a premeditated murder charge against the prime suspect in the murder case of a German property broker in Chon Buri.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said on Friday that German national Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, 52, is the prime suspect among the four arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of Hans Peter Walter Mack, 62.
He said the police changed from a previous offence, murder, which is only punishable by life imprisonment.
Mr Brinkmann has now been charged with premeditated murder, which is punishable by death, Pol Gen Surachate said.
The other three suspects were Petra Christl Grundgreif, 54, Nicole Frevel, 52 and Shahrukh Karim Uddin, 27. All have denied any involvement.
Pol Gen Surachate said that police also seized a speed boat belonging to Mr Brinkmann and found that he planned to dump Mack's dismembered body into the sea. Police also obtained CCTV footage showing Mr Brinkmann and Mr Uddin in a fishing gear shop.
An owner of an electric saw also testified that he sold the saw to two foreigners that was used to dismember Mack's body.
Police also found a signal from Mack's mobile phone in Cambodia. Police are now investigating how his phone ended up in the neighbouring country, he said.
Pol Maj Wachirawit Wisutsereephan, investigation chief at Nong Prue police in Chon Buri, said on Friday that Mr Uddin, who is a Pakistani with Thai nationality, claimed he was forced to help his co-accused. When asked by media on Friday, Mr Uddin said: "I am fearful. I didn't do it. I didn't kill (him)."
According to police, Mr Uddin said Ms Grundgreif had asked him to open a pool villa to hold a party for a VIP guest on July 4. On that day, Mr Brinkmann and Ms Grundgreif and the victim arrived and went inside the villa. Mr Uddin said he had been told to wait outside.
After waiting for more than three hours, Mr Uddin decided to go inside the pool villa. When he opened the door, he said he found Mack lying unconscious on the sofa. He then asked the two German nationals what they were doing.
He said Mr Brinkmann suddenly pushed him to the wall and used a gun to threaten him that he would abduct his younger sister and his wife and take them to sell in Cambodia if he would not cooperate and would kill his parents in Phuket if he betrayed his gang.
