Three suspects have been arrested for the murder of a man found dead in a a paddy field in Bua Yai district on Monday morning, police said.
Police identified two of the suspects as Suthep Channoy and Thirapat Setpakdi. The other was a boy, only 15 years old. The first two surrendered to Bua Yai police on Monday night and the third on Tuesday morning.
During police questioning, the three allegedly admitted to killing 39-year-old Wirat Songnok, a resident of Ban Nong Prue Pattana in tambon Khok Krabueang of Ban Luam district. He was found partially buried in a paddy field, his legs left exposed, three days after he went missing.
They said that on the night of Dec 9 they and Wirat had been drinking together at a hut in the middle of the field, near Ban Nong Yao in tambon Nong Bua Sa-ard, Bua Yai district.
They asked Wirat what he had done with the 1,700 baht they had earlier given to him to buy methamphetamine pills. Wirat said he used 400 baht to buy some meth pills and spent the rest of the money.
They became angry and hit Wirat with wooden sticks until the man dropped to the ground. After that one of them stabbed Wirat to death with a knife, leaving eight wounds on him. They buried Wirat in the paddy field, about 100 metres from the hut, and fled.
The three were charged with murder and concealing the body to cover up the crime.
