PATTAYA, Thailand – A Huai Yai police officer at the center of online speculation has denied having any special relationship with murder suspect “Pong,” insisting he was not the suspect’s associate or informant and had previously arrested him in two separate cases. The officer, whose name has not been released, spoke out after claims circulated online that Pong, 43, a key suspect in the murder and burial case involving five victims, had worked as a police informant and had connections with a former Huai Yai officer identified only by the initial “S.”
The officer said he had never used Pong as a source of information and had no personal relationship with him. Instead, he said he was among the officers who had previously taken legal action against Pong after he joined Huai Yai Police Station in 2013. He recalled a 2018 case in which police were called to help a woman allegedly being held inside a house in Huai Yai. Although an initial search found no victim, officers heard suspicious noises while leaving and returned to inspect the property again. They found the woman hiding under a bed with injuries, leading to Pong’s arrest. However, the woman later declined to pursue charges, saying they were in a relationship, and Pong was released.
Later that year, Pong was arrested again in connection with an attempted murder and firearms case. Police tracked him down after he fled and later took him into custody after a public complaint led officers to discover an outstanding arrest warrant. The officer said that during the investigation, police attempted to locate the firearm allegedly used in the crime. Pong claimed he had thrown the weapon into the sea near Wat Ban Amphur, prompting a search involving divers, but the weapon was not found.
The officer said that after Pong was released from prison years later, Pong contacted him by phone in June. Due to concerns that he could commit further offences, the officer immediately informed investigators and placed Pong under police monitoring. Addressing photographs showing him meeting Pong and records of phone calls between them, the officer said all contact occurred during official duties. He explained that one meeting happened after Pong reported seeing a wanted person near a motorcycle repair shop. The officer called back to verify the information and later met him briefly at a nearby restaurant to discuss the matter.
He also said another call was made while Pong was a suspect in the disappearance of two Russian siblings, explaining that investigators instructed him to help contact Pong, but the phone was switched off. The officer said he had already provided a full explanation to his superiors and reiterated that he had never received benefits from Pong, never used him as an informant, and had previously been involved in arresting him and serving as a witness in legal proceedings against him. (Photo and Story: Khao Sod)
