Lese majeste suspect found hanged
Online reporters
Authorities have opened an investigation into the death of Pol Maj Prakrom Warunprapa, a lese majeste suspect arrested earlier this week, after he was foundhanged in his cell on Friday night.
The Corrections Department said it received a report at 10pm Friday from thetemporary prison at a military facility where Pol Maj Prakrom was being held, saying that he had tried to hang himself with a shirt inside his cell.
The warder on duty saw what had happened, rushed into the cell and found theprisoner still alive. He attempted to revive the man using a breathing aid andrushed him to the Corrections Department hospital, where he was pronounced dead after being admitted.
There was only one warder on duty at the time.
The department said in a statement that the suspect, being a high-profile person, might have been having problems adjusting to his new surroundings since beingdetained on Wednesday.
Since Pol Maj Prakrom's death happened while in detention, a post-mortemexamination is required under the Criminal Procedures Code and the body must by sent to the Forensics Science Office of the Royal Thai Police.
The Bangkok Remand Prison, which is in charge of the temporary prison inside the 11th Army Circle, had set up a committee to investigate this matter, the statement added.
Pol Maj Prakrom, 39, was arrested this week on lese majeste and related charges along with Suriyan Sujaritpolwong, alias Mor Yong, a well-known fortune teller, and his close aide Jirawong Watthanathewasilp.
Authorities have said that more arrests were possible in connection with the case, in which people were alleged to have sought personal benefits by claimingconnections with the royal institution.
Pol Gen Chakthip Chaichinda, the national police chief, said he had ordered investigators led by Pol Gen Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul, an assistant police chief, towrap up the investigation in two to three weeks.
He said there were two elements to the case — lese majeste and theft — and that the investigation into the former was now about 80% complete.
Police have said the current case has some similarities to that of former CIB chief Pongpat Chayaphan, whose criminal network was brought down late last year, with billions