Somnuek Charunchirathian, 51, known as “Sia Tum”, disappeared on February 13 from the Pailin Flamingo Casino in the west Cambodian province.

The autopsy showed the victim died from gunshots to the neck and chest.

Pol Maj-Gen Pornchai Sutheerakhun, director of the (Thai) Police Hospital’s Forensic Science Institute, said yesterday the victim was shot twice by a gun of unknown type and size. The bullets, fired from a distance in front of the man, cut through his arteries and caused his sudden death a week ago.

Pornchai said Somnuek’s family had asked the morgue to check the decomposed body to see if he was strangled first. The morgue would also compare DNA samples from the corpse with DNA from Somnuek’s relatives’ to confirm the identity. The results should come out in three days, and then the family could collect the corpse for religious rites, he added.

Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen, the deputy police spokesman, said Thai officers with Interpol were coordinating with Cambodian police on the inquiry into the murder.

The Thai News Agency reported yesterday that Pailin police had nabbed one suspect – whose nationality wasn’t confirmed – prior to discovery of the corpse and the suspect confessed to having buried a body in a field near Ou Chheu Kram village. Pailin police later nabbed another suspect for questioning, as the murder was believed to have involved at least two people.

News reports have suggested that “Sia Tum” may have been killed over Bt32 million he lent to another person.