A MAN suspected of the murder and dismemberment of a Chinese woman who went missing earlier this month in Thailand has been arrested in Macao.

On Monday, the Macao police said that during an investigation into a case involving the pawning of counterfeit luxury watches, they discovered the suspect’s identity matched that of a person involved in a kidnapping case concerning a Chinese woman in Thailand.

The man, identified as Ma, 34, unemployed and holding a Chinese passport, was apprehended on July 10 after attempting to pawn a fake watch at a local shop.

Ma was intercepted at the Macao Taipa Ferry Terminal as he attempted to flee to Hong Kong, according to a report by thepaper.cn.

Authorities discovered that Ma’s identity matched that of a suspect wanted in connection with the kidnap and brutal murder of a woman named Yan Ruimin from the Chinese mainland in Thailand.

The case has been transferred to mainland authorities for further investigation.

The Chinese woman traveled alone to Thailand in late June. She was last seen on July 1 after meeting with the suspect. Surveillance footage captured Ma picking up Yan in his car on July 1. The two were seen walking together, sometimes holding hands.

The pair were last seen eating durian at Khlong Toei market, holding hands and walking before getting into the car.

The next day, the vehicle left for Chonburi in eastern Thailand, The Bangkok Post reported.

Thai police said in a statement on Saturday that they believed the suspect murdered Yan in the early hours of July 3, dismembered her body, and disposed of the remains in various remote locations.

Some body parts were found in a pond surrounded by dense forest. Further investigations led police to a grassy area in Bang Phra Town, Chachoengsao Province, about 50 kilometers east of Bangkok, where they uncovered partially decomposed body parts wrapped in a blue waterproof cloth and buried about 20 centimeters deep.

Following her disappearance, Yan’s family received a ransom call demanding 1 million yuan (US$137,725). Subsequent investigations by the police revealed extensive cleaned-up bloodstains in a rental car and accommodation used by Ma.

(Shanghai Daily)