The Criminal Court denied the bail request for Sarawit and Benyapa fearing the suspects might flee. Authorities have already taken them to prison custody.
On 7 March 2026, investigators from Suthisan Police Station escorted Mr. Sarawit Ratphitakthirada and Ms. Benyapa Ratphitak, suspects number one and two in the case of kidnapping and murdering a medical equipment company manager and burning the body to conceal evidence at an abandoned house in Lopburi Province, for their first 12-day detention, scheduled from 7 to 18 March 2026.
During the investigation, the suspects confessed to all charges. The investigators have completed part of the inquiry but must still examine seven more witnesses. Additionally, the suspects' 48-hour custody period will expire on 8 March 2026. Due to these reasons and necessities, the authorities requested a 12-day detention warrant during the investigation, effective from 7 to 18 March 2026.
At the end of the petition, the investigators and victims opposed bail, citing that the case spans multiple jurisdictions and requires gathering numerous types of evidence, including witness testimony, physical evidence, and documents proving the suspects' guilt. Furthermore, the case carries severe penalties and has attracted public attention. They expressed concern that if bail were granted, the suspects might intimidate or interfere with witnesses whom investigators are collecting to establish their guilt.
Subsequently, the two suspects filed a bail request with collateral. The Criminal Court, after considering the severity of the charges and case circumstances, found the acts to be violent and flagrantly disregard the law. Given the seriousness of the case and that police arrested the suspects under warrants shortly after the incident, combined with the investigators' opposition to bail, the court believed there is reasonable cause to suspect that both suspects might flee. Therefore, the court denied the bail request.
However, before issuing the detention warrant, correctional officers transferred both suspects to the Bangkok Remand Prison and the Central Women's Correctional Institution for custody.