A brother of a local politician and boyfriend of a policewoman accused of physically abusing her maid, a former soldier, surrendered to police in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province on Thursday.
It is the latest twist in a story of political intrigue and influence that has gripped social media and made mainstream headlines.
Khomsit Jangphanit, younger brother of the Photharam municipal mayor in Ratchaburi province, was accompanied by a lawyer to Cha-am police station where he acknowledged a charge of colluding in physical abuse.
He was implicated by a woman who worked as a maid for his policewoman girlfriend, whom she has accused of illegal detention and abuse.
Pol Cpl Kornsasi Buayem, 43, of Special Branch Bureau 1 of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), turned herself in to police in Ratchaburi on Saturday and was charged with dereliction of duty, intimidation, depriving a personof her liberty, physical abuse and human trafficking.
The policewoman surrendered after her former employee told reporters she had been detained, physically abused and mistreated by her boss before finally managing to flee. Her tale grabbed headlines and prompted the national police chief to order an urgent investigation.
The torture allegations were first exposed on the Hone Krasae programme on TV Channel 3 last Thursday. The 30-year-old victim claimed Pol Cpl Kornsasi had burned her with a hair curler and smacked her with a metal rod, causing nose and head injuries. She also said her employer once sprayed alcohol on her hair an set it on fire.
Upon arriving at Cha-am police police station on Thursday morning, Mr Khomsit was immediately taken to see Pol Lt Col Chamnarn Boonmor, chief investigator handling the case, for questioning, said a source.
Around 9.30am on Thursday, the former maid arrived at Cha-am police station, accompanied by lawyer Phiphat Lamjuan, to oppose police bail for Mr Khomsit. She said she feared there might be witness interference if bail were granted.
She also feared for herself and her family as the accused man was an influential figure and still lived in Ratchaburi province. She would oppose bail at the court too, she said.
On Tuesday, Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, assistant national police chief, told a news programe that Pol Cpl Kornsasi told police she had graduated with a vocational certificate in accounting in Ratchaburi.
According to Pol Lt Gen Surachate, the woman applied to be a police officer and finally secured the job with the help of someone she referred to as "phu yai", or a senior figure, in 2017.
She had helped her accuser get a job as a soldier, she said, but details of how she became her maid were not disclosed.
Pol Lt Gen Surachate said the policewoman claimed she also worked as a coordinator for a senator but there was no evidence to back that up.
Earlier, Thai media reported that the 30-year-old victim had told police Pol Cpl Kornsasi claimed she was the wife of a senator.
Thai media reported that Mr Khomsit told reporters on Tuesday that he had been the policewoman's boyfriend for 7-8 months, and allegedly admitted he had beaten the maid. He accused the woman of lying and causing his girlfriend to get angry. He defended his girlfriend's violent acts, saying she suffered from depression.
