Thai police have widened their investigation into a woman accused of a spate of cyanide poisoning murders, with officers on Thursday raising the number of victims to 13 and charging her with premeditated murder.
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, who is married to a senior police officer, was arrested on Tuesday over nine alleged murders which took place over several years.
Thai police have arrested a woman suspected of murdering over a dozen people with cyanide.
Thirty-six-year-old Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn was taken into custody on Wednesday and refused bail.
Police say the victims were either known as friends or were closer to her and that evidence so far suggests there may be 13 victims.
She has denied all allegations.
"We have evidence to link her to the evidence (cyanide). Therefore, it doesn't matter if we found the evidence on her or not. The evidence that we got was quite clear on whether the cyanides were linked to the suspect."
Sararat became a suspect following the suspicious death on April 14 of one of her friends after they had been traveling together, local media reported.
A full autopsy report indicated the victim’s body had traces of cyanide, police say.
Since then, families of earlier victims have come forward, suggesting the deaths of their loved ones were also suspicious.
Officers have also expanded the geographic area they are investigating to five provinces, most to the west of Bangkok.
Officers found a substance at the woman's home that authorities believe to be cyanide, and suspect she poisoned the victims' food and drink.
Following routine health checks in prison, the Department of Corrections confirmed Thursday that Sararat is four months pregnant and experiencing stress, blurry eyes and headaches.
Investigators have interviewed her police officer husband and other witnesses.
Police described how a fourteenth person narrowly escaped death after vomiting up poisoned food.
The suspect lured her latest victim into eating a herb, and around 20 minutes later she collapsed, Surachate said.
He urged the public to contact police with any information about other potential cases.
Police initially suspected the woman of murdering a friend in Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok, about two weeks ago.
Local media said the victim collapsed on the bank of the Mae Klong River after releasing fish as part of a Buddhist ritual.
After questioning the suspect, investigators linked her to other cyanide poisoning cases.
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