Chutidet murder suspect identified Police believe political rival was behind murder

Police have identified the prime suspect in the murder of the close aide of a former Democrat Party election candidate as a rival in local political circles who had personal conflicts with the victim, a source on the police team investigating the case said Wednesday.

Police believe the suspect hired a team of hitmen to murder Chutidet Suwannakerd, 38, at the carpark at Kosum Ruamjai market in Don Muang district on Saturday, the police source said.

Chutidet, who used to be a close aide of Karun Hosakul, a Bangkok Pheu Thai MP, defected to work for Tankhun Jitt-itsara, the Democrat Party candidate for Don Muang district in the July 3 general election.

Mr Karun has denied any involvement in the murder of his former aide.

Preliminary results of the police investigation indicate the murder was a consequence of conflicts between Chutidet and his rival in local politics that arose as they competed to help flood victims, the source said.

The two men's quarrels over control of taxi motorcycle services in the district could also be a motive for Chutidet's murder, the police source said.

"The suspected mastermind of the murder was a rival local politician who is a close aide of a politician in the national political circle," the source said. "However, the motive for the killing was not political conflict, but simmering personal conflicts."

Investigators have found conclusive evidence of who was behind the murder, but some crucial evidence still is missing, the same source said.

By next week, the police should be able to seek a warrant for the arrest of the suspected mastermind.

Meanwhile, another police team is hot on the trail of the suspected gunman, a key link in the police's quest to nail the suspected mastermind, the source said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung yesterday insisted he would not be tempted to protect the culprits in this murder case even if they really are linked to people in the government.

Pol Maj Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphas, chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Division 2, said police had narrowed down the killing motives. 

However, he said, police have yet to question possible suspects as the investigators still were gathering the evidence required to implicate any suspect.

As for the wife and daughter of Chutidet as well as Mr Tankhun, several police units from the Don Muang police station have been sent out to ensure their security as police hunt down the killers.

Porntip Rojanasunan, head of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, said Chutidet's family members would meet her today to seek help from the institute for a second-opinion autopsy.

She said Mr Tankhun had consulted with her about the police possibly conducting a questionable autopsy.

Khunying Porntip said Mr Tankhun had informed her that Chutidet's family was unable to gain access to the autopsy results although they had every right to access them.