Lopburi gold heist latest: Suspect's school shut as hunt for silencer continues

Lopburi gold heist latest: Suspect's school shut as hunt for silencer continues

Picture: Thai Rath

Thai Rath reported that the school where the suspect in the Lopburi gold shop heist was a director has been ordered shut for two days. 

Students and parents are trying to come to terms with the news that Prassitichai Khaokaew murdered three people on January 9th.

Wat Pho Chai school in Singburi is set to reopen on Monday. 

Education officials went their yesterday to offer their support. 

The suspect has said that he was in debt to the tune of 1.7 million baht.

Assistant Secretary of the Office of the Basic Education Commission Wallop Sanguannam said that the suspect had not borrowed money through official education fund channels and had made no request to do so. 

If he was in debt as he claimed it was through loan sharks or debts accrued prior to him becoming a director. 

A female teacher at the school called Nilawan Opat has been given the directorship temporarily. 

Meanwhile Thai Rath reported that police dive teams armed with metal detectors were scouring the Chao Praya River by a bridge in Singburi looking for the silencer used during the robbery. 

Picture: Thai Rath

It is yet to be located.

This is a key piece of evidence that was fitted to a 9 mm Czech made gun owned by the suspect's father - a former policeman. The gun has been recovered. 

Two adults and a two year old child were killed in the robbery at the Aurora gold shop in Robinson's, a crime that has shaken Thailand to its core. Four people were also injured with more than 500,000 baht in gold jewelry taken.

Prasittichai or Golf was arrested in his BMW on Wednesday on his way to school. 

Source: Thai Rath