Chuwong's sister, widow want CSD to lead probe

Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri, the police spokesman, received the letter and said that Chuwong’s sister Wanpen Thanathamsiri and widow Sirirat Saetang believed the CSD had interviewed witnesses and progressed a lot in gathering evidence – more than Udomsuk police. 

Prawut insisted the request was not made because city police worked slowly. He said there was a possibility the probe could be taken over by the Central Investigation Bureau. 

Wanpen said her family did not mean to rush police but wanted the case to be done carefully by an appropriate agency to ensure justice.

An informed source reported that the Royal Thai Police would instruct forensic officers, led by General Jarumporn Suramanee, to conduct a re-enactment of the June 26 car crash alleged to have killed Chuwong. That will involve officers using the same brand of vehicle Chuwong was travelling in when it left a golf course and crashed into a tree on Chaloem Phrakiat Road in Bangkok’s Prawet district.

The car was driven by Chuwong’s friend, former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn. Banyin told police how fast he was driving and that speed would be used in the simulated re-enactment.

A city police source said that officers investigating the death were waiting to get the results of the CSD probe into the suspicious transfer of Bt300 million in shares that were owned by Chuwong.

The source described the case as challenging and said evidence must be gathered carefully, with 40 witnesses interviewed to date.