They allege that she forged her husband's signature on 16 life policies. Aiyakanseuk Mahawannakit, 30, was killed in a road accident in November 2004.

Siriporn yesterday denied company allegations she had masterminded her husband's death and attempted to defraud them.

She said only two insurance policies had been purchased, one each from the Government Savings Bank and Wiriya Insurance. She neither knew nor hired a man to drive his pickup into Aiyakanseuk's motorcycle, she said, and refuted insurance-company allegations that she and her husband had quarrelled often over a minor wife.

Aiyakanseuk died in a collision with a vehicle driven by Suchat Thammanit, 56.

Sibthis Pluprasert, 58, said his daughter had received Bt300,000 from Wiriya Insurance. She continues to work at an Ayutthaya factory for Bt10,000 a month.

He added that Suchat had been sentenced in February 2005 to two years in jail - a sentence which was suspended - and fined Bt10,000 for the fatal accident.

Suchat said yesterday that the 2004 collision was an accident and he had paid the deceased's family Bt200,000 for funeral expenses and expressed his remorse. He confirmed the court's sentence.

He is distressed that the matter has been revived by insurance-company allegations, and insists he has no relationship with the deceased's wife.

The insurance companies claimed to police that Aiyakanseuk had an "unstable income" and was unable to afford so many policies.

They added that the wife had taken no civil action against the driver, a man she knew personally. They further alleged to police that Aiyakanseuk had once been admitted to hospital with poisoning.

Crime Suppression Division acting commander Colonel Pongpat Chayapan said on Monday there was evidence the woman had forged her husband's signature on policies naming her as beneficiary.

The investigation continues.

The Nation

NAKHON NAYOK