A Thai court has issued arrest warrants for five more Bhutanese

Update: The Bhutanese man found dead in Bangkok last week is from Zhisaphang in Kabisa gewog, Punakha, it has been learnt.

He was a taxi driver and is survived by his wife and two children.

The man is suspected to have died from a drug overdose after one of the bags of crystal methamphetamine that he had swallowed burst inside his stomach.

Thai media reported six Bhutanese as suspects. Photographs and other personal details of those suspected including the deceased were reported. They are suspected to be members of a drug trafficking gang smuggling drugs from India into Thailand.

Two more men, one from India and the other from Nepal have also been named as suspects.

Including the deceased, three of the four Bhutanese men named and suspected by Thai police to be involved in drug trafficking are from Kabisa gewog, about 10km from Punakha town.

The man captured on CCTV allegedly dumping the corpse, Kuensel has learnt, is the nephew of the deceased. He is believed to be a repeat offender in drug related cases and has been arrested by the Royal Bhutan Police before. The Thai criminal court has also issued an arrest warrant for him on April 8.

Thai media reported that he is charged with colluding to possess and sell illegal drugs, and concealing or destroying a human corpse.

The Thai criminal court has issued arrest warrants for five more suspects, including four Bhutanese nationals and a Nepalese man, linked to the death of the Bhutanese.

They face charges of possessing crystal methamphetamine for sale.

Thai media quoted the acting commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn that he would coordinate with the Indian, Bhutanese and Nepalese embassies to seek extradition of the five suspects to stand trial in Thailand.

Bhutanese authorities said that investigations are underway and that they are looking for those suspected to be involved in the case.

Tshering Palden