A new twist to Kankanit's faked death

A police source said yesterday that Kankanit's husband, Charnchai Chinsiri, might be involved in the attempted murder of a Burmese fisherman not long after the 2004 tsunami, with the help of a man known as Wilas. The murder was aimed at faking the death of Wilas (surname not available), so Charnchai could benefit from two insurance deals.

According to the source, both Charnchai and Wilas lured the fisherman to board a boat moored off the Ranong coast. Later, they attacked the victim and threw his body into the sea thinking he was dead. A Thailanguage daily said the man survived and swam back to shore, but never lodged a complaint with police for fear of action against him as an illegal immigrant. He has now disappeared.

Charnchai later received Bt4 million from two insurance policies and shared the proceeds with Wilas - a 45yearold native of neighbouring Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers are looking for the Burmese man and his wife, who had lodged a missingperson complaint with the police, so their testimony can be used against Charnchai.

Police will also look into all payments made by insurance companies in relation with the fake deaths of both Charnchai, 47, and Kankanit, 43, and would prosecute anyone involved in the fraud.

District officials at Muang Ranong have reportedly grown reluctant in cooperating with police or the media, possibly fearing consequences of their own alleged wrongdoings in issuing false death certificates and several other documents found to have been fabricated.

Both Kankanit, a daughter of veteran Phetchaburi MP Piya, Angkinand, and her husband have been accused of fraud and embezzlement totalling more than Bt8 billion. Chanchai is also accused of murdering Sayamon Larpkorkiat in 1993.

Police are looking for the two women who brought a female corpse to the Pak Nam Ranong police station on December 31, 2004 claiming it was Kankanit. The women, whose names were not recorded by police, said they had rented a boat from Kankanit before The tsunami on December 26, and went out to search for her after she disappeared.

Police records said Kankanit's ID card and credit cards in her name were found on the body.

A CSD officer in Bangkok said Charnchai has used four aliases, one of which is Wilas saeLor, the name of a real 34yearold native of Nakhon Si Thammarat.