The man, according to a source from the investigation team, is a friend of prime suspect Artur Segarra Princep’s girlfriend, Pridsana Saeng-ubon.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said: “This suspect was seen driving a black pickup for Segarra Princep on many occasions during the trips for both the escape and the withdrawals of the victim’s money.”

The source did not reveal the Thai suspect’s name. The source only said Pridsana had already told police that Segarra Princep, a Spanish national, might have been involved in the killing of David Bernat.

Pridsana told police that she usually spent time with Segarra Princep at a condo in Bangkok but on January 19 he instructed to her to stay elsewhere, citing the need to accommodate a friend.

Police have already searched that condo and gathered evidence. “We are quite confident that the victim was killed there,” the police source said.

Late last month, body parts were found in or by the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani. DNA tests revealed that the body parts belonged to the same man, who was later identified as Bernat.

Segarra Princep allegedly received Bt37 million from Bernat’s account at a Singapore bank and later withdrew money from ATMs in different locations in Bangkok and other provinces, police said.

Pol General Panya Mamen, who heads the police team in charge of this case, said Segarra Princep would be charged with kidnapping, illegal detention, torture, murder, and extortion.

“We are in the process of gathering solid evidence,” he said. He also disclosed that Segarra Princep had a previous crime record.

At present, two suspects are in police detention. Both are Thais.

Yesterday, police located a motorcycle used by Segarra Princep in a forest near the Thai-Cambodian border.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Nattorn Prohsunthorn said he had already contacted his Cambodian counterpart to ask for help in locating the Spaniard, if he had fled there.

“But I believe he’s still in Thailand. It’s not easy to cross the border through the forest if he does not get help from locals,” he said.