CHON BURI - Police surrounded a house in Bang Lamung district on Wednesday in an attempt to arrest two men believed to be connected to the disappearance of two Russian siblings from Pattaya, but the suspects had already fled.
More than 200 personnel joined local officials, rescue workers and residents in a large-scale search operation in an old cemetery at Thung Luang, near the Chak Taeng intersection in tambon Huay Yai.
The search focused on the area where the black-and-grey Honda ADV150 motorcycle belonging to the young Russians was discovered dismantled and buried underground (earlier report here).
Investigators found that the motorcycle had been taken apart and buried in two separate locations. At the first site, police recovered the front and rear shock absorbers, front and rear wheels, engine and fairings. About 100 metres away, officers uncovered the frame, seat, handlebars and other body components.
Roman Nazimova, 17, and his sister Diana Nazimova, 22, left their house at the Bristol Park Pattaya housing estate in tambon Huay Yai at 4am on Sunday and have not been seen since.
Forensic officers collected evidence from both sites to determine whether the parts were linked to the disappearance investigation.
Niphon Chatsri, assistant village headman of Village Moo 9, said residents had identified a suspect known as “Pong”, the same man previously seen in security video released during the investigation.
Pong had been released from prison about two months ago and was feared by local residents because he was known to carry weapons. They believed he could be connected to the case, according to Mr Niphon.
Residents also told police that another man, identified only as “Thong”, a friend of Pong, had been seen digging in the area where the motorcycle parts were later found. He was reportedly at the site from about 5pm until 11pm on Tuesday.
The following morning, local residents said they saw both men in the area before they fled in opposite directions upon spotting authorities.
A 24-year-old local resident, identified only as Lek, told reporters he had heard multiple gunshots over the past one or two nights from an area about 500 metres from where the motorcycle was buried. However, he said he could not confirm whether the gunfire was related to the case.
At 4pm on Wednesday, Huai Yai police, tourist police and Bang Lamung district officials surrounded a house in Moo 11 of Huay Yai after receiving information that Pong and Thong were hiding there.
However, a search failed to locate either suspect.
The homeowner told police the two men had returned to the house at about 10am on Sunday, the same day the Russian siblings disappeared. Both men were covered in mud and stayed for about an hour before leaving.
Authorities continued searching for the missing siblings on Wednesday while investigators gathered further evidence and stepped up efforts to locate the two suspects for questioning as they worked to solve the case.
