A Chinese real estate trader who said he was abducted in Bangkok last week will meet Thai police tomorrow after claiming to have been released in Cambodia.
Witnesses said Chen Ji was snatched by a group of men in front of Baiyoke 2 Tower in the Pratunam area of Bangkok on Tuesday.
A female friend of his later contacted police, saying he was being held for ransom and his abductors wanted 20 million yuan, or about 100 million baht.
The news of Mr Chen’s release was revealed yesterday by Pol Maj Gen Sombat, who said the 27-year-old man sent a text message to his driver, Li Sung, saying he had been set free and was safe in Phnom Penh.
Mr Chen is expected to return to Thailand tomorrow after reporting to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh to check his documents.
Pol Maj Gen Sombat Milintajinda, chief of the city police’s Investigation Division, said the man will give his account of the events to authorities once he is back in Bangkok.
His suspected abduction went public late on Friday morning when police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawonsiri told reporters Mr Chen, who also holds Cambodian nationality, was kidnapped by two men, one of whom showed what he said was a police identity card.
Police are checking if "men in uniform" colluded in the plot to abduct Mr Chen, said Pol Maj Gen Sombat.
According to initial investigations, the man who showed the police ID card told Mr Chen he had an arrest warrant from China and forced the victim to go with his group. Witnesses told police they clearly heard the men speaking Thai.
Pol Maj Gen Sombat believes the four or five suspects that abducted Mr Chen appeared "quite professional".
According to security camera footage, Mr Chen’s car was followed by a Toyota Fortuner and a motorcycle when he was heading to Baiyoke 2 Tower for lunch.
The motorcycle driver was believed to have helped point out Mr Chen. The footage showed the victim get out of his car. Two men then grabbed him and fled into Soi Ratchaprarop 3.
Mr Chen claimed he was driven through Sa Kaeo on his way to Cambodia. His alleged abductors secretly took him out of Thailand and somewhere near a border checkpoint, Pol Maj Gen Sombat said.
Mr Chen’s friend, Li Xiafu, said she went to police on Wednesday after realising she couldn't pay the ransom.
During his abduction, Mr Chen sent text messages to Ms Li to say where he was being driven and mentioned locations in Bangkok. Police checked the locations and "found no clues" about the gang or Mr Chen, Pol Maj Gen Sombat said.
Mr Chen claimed he walked free on Friday evening, the same day as the ransom deadline.
Crime Suppression Division acting chief Pol Col Akkharadet Phimonsi was reluctant to say if Mr Chen had been kidnapped. "We have to question him first," he said.