I did not kill traffic police officer : street racer

He told police late last night the officer collapsed and there was no attack by illegal street racers, he asserts.

A post mortem shows officer Samrit Taemthong, 51, suffered a heart attack.

Weerayuth Suaroj and Soros Kaewiad, both 25, responded to police pleas for information and went to Phaholyothin police station on Friday.

In the early hours of Friday, Samrit responded to a report of illegal street racing on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. He was seen falling to the ground by one witness and others saw him after he collapsed.

The witnesses reported young men fleeing the scene and abandoning the vehicle next to which Samrit was found dead. Samrit suffered bodily injuries and there were signs he'd been strangled.

Weerayuth Suaroj, the abandoned vehicle's owner, says he lent it to Soros, who admits be¬ing involved in illegal road racing.

"After walking around the van, he just collapsed unconscious. I was scared. I decided to run away," Soros said.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Asawin Saikwan says no one has been charged with any crime, but the investigation continued.

Police will view closed circuitcamera recordings taken from around the crime scene.

A policeman who attended the incident said four witnesses "just saw Samrit lying on the ground. Then they saw four young people fleeing in a four door pickup".

Four others were detained at the scene; Sirichok Suriyan, 37, Prasert Meethavorn, 29, and two young men. They have each denied involve¬ment and the latter three have been released.

Sirichok remains in custody on possible drugs charges.

Samrit was a devoted traffic policeman. "He's a good man. He works hard and is always ready to help others," supervisor Captain Paitoon Roobkham says.

"It's regrettable such a good man has to die like this."

Wife Ornusa can't believe such a "big hearted man" adored by others is dead. "Colleagues and people loved him".