The 9mm Chinese-made Norinco pistol was found in a pond pinpointed by a witness, who is a close friend of murder suspect Anuchit Lamlert and volunteered information to police about the weapon yesterday after Anuchit was arrested on Thursday night.

The unidentified witness bought the handgun for Bt900 from Anuchit after it was used to kill Tatiana Tsimfer, 30, and Liubov Svirkova, 25, while they sat drinking in deckchairs on Jomtien Beach.

He later threw it away in the pond near his home in Chon Buri's Sri Racha district after Anuchit failed to show up to buy it back as he had promised.

The witness now faces a charge of possessing a firearm without permission but will have the offence dropped in return for his testimony in court about Anuchit selling the handgun to him, police said.

Police quoted Anuchit as saying that he had merely wanted to rob the victims but had shot them dead after they yelled and screamed. He fled without taking anything.

According to police, Anuchit has committed numerous crimes, mainly robbery and mugging of foreign tourists in Pattaya.

He was temporarily released after allegedly shooting a South Korean tourist in January.

Both Anuchit and the witness are in police custody separately, and acting police chief Seripisut Temiyavej will today arrive in Pattaya to question Anuchit.