Two police teams were dispatched at 7am to arrest Siriporn Poonprasert, 31, and her alleged accomplice Suchat Thammanit, 56.

Siriporn's husband, Aiyakanseuk Mahawannakit, 31, was killed in a collision with a vehicle driven by Suchat in November 2004.

The two are charged of orchestrating Aiyakanseuk's death and disposing of the body to conceal the real cause of death by making it look like a road accident, in a bid to collect the insurance money.

Siriporn is also charged with contaminating food to harm others, document forgery and attempted fraud.

Police yesterday arrested Suchat - who denied any wrongdoing - at his home in Tambon Sarika in Muang Nakhon Nayok.

However, Siriporn was not at her house in Tambon Wang Krajom. Neighbours said she had gone on vacation to another province.

Suchat, a wood seller and money-lender, told police he was heading home in his pickup when Aiyakanseuk's motorcycle swerved to avoid a dog and cut into his path, causing the collision.

He said the motorbike had gone off the road, although the rider's body was later found underneath his truck.

Suchat insists he never knew the dead man's wife and that what happened was an accident.

He said he had paid Bt200,000 in compensation to the man's family and that the court had ruled on the case two years ago.

Suchat said he would fight the allegations because he is confident of his innocence.

The recent developments in the case follow complaints from insurance companies, which had raised suspicions over Aiyakanseuk's death. They allege Siriporn forged her husband's signature on 16 life policies and that Aiyakanseuk had once been admitted to hospital with poisoning.

Although Siriporn previously told reporters that she had done nothing wrong and neither knew nor had hired Suchat, police said there was enough evidence to the contrary and issued the arrest warrants.

The Nation

NAKHON NAYOK