A Spanish man returned to Thailand Monday for the allegedly killing and dismembering a compatriot denied the charges, but police remain confident they have the right man.
Artur Segarra Princep, 37, was arrested in Cambodia's Sihanoukville on Sunday. He was taken to the nearby Thai border province of Trat on Monday and brought to Bangkok immediately.
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda told the press in Trat and later Bangkok that Mr Segarra denied any role in the death of David Bernat, 40, but that did not surprise police.
"He said he was a friend of the dead man. But when I asked him why he did not inform police and instead escaped when a friend died, the suspect did not answer," Pol Gen Chakthip said.
Police held a brief news conference at its aviation division in Bang Khen district, Bangkok, Monday evening just to show they had the suspect and interrogation would continue, the police chief said.
The Spaniard could speak Thai, had no set occupation, and had visited Thailand more than 200 times in the past decade, he said. He believed that there were more suspects involved in the crime.
Police would carefully examine evidence including a mobile phone that the suspect tried to withhold from police, he said.
Deputy Bangkok police chief Suwat Jaengyodsuk said police were confident that Mr Segarra was involved in the crime and his account with police and evidence were beneficial to investigators.
Body parts of consultant Bernat were discovered in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok and nearby provinces since Jan 30. Regarding examination, police believe he had been kidnapped, forced to transfer considerable money to the suspect and killed.
He was last seen at his apartment in Klong Toey district, Bangkok, on Jan 20 and police assumed he was killed between Jan 25 and 27.
The Spanish suspect reportedly stayed with his Thai girlfriend, already arrested, in Surin before sneaking into Cambodia.
