PATHUM THANI – An accused rapist who escaped police custody remained at large for 12 hours before being recaptured following a massive manhunt.
The search in the forest involved 100 officers and inmates at its peak.
Huer Sae Mee, 23, escaped from a police vehicle when he was being brought back to Pathum Thani prison in Sam Khok district at 5pm Friday.
Huer and another inmate were able to loosen their shackles and ran away immediately after the police took them out of the vehicle. Piya Konkaew, 27, who was facing a robbery charge, was caught immediately.
However, Huer managed to run into the forest at the back of the prison. More than 100 police and prison officers, rescue workers and inmates with good records were mobilised to surround the area and find the prisoner.
A dog sniffs clothing belonging to escaped prisoner Huer Sae Mee during the overnight search.
The search went on for four hours before Polt Gen Smith Mukdasanit ordered officers to set a fire to the area, mainly grass and weeds near a large pond, in an attempt to force the inmate out.
However, there was still no sign of the inmate after the fire. Police brought in dogs and a helicopter to light up the area but Huer could not be found.
The operation ended around 30 minutes after midnight without success.
Finally, at 5am Saturday, Huer was spotted wearing civilian clothes with socks to cover his shackle ring near the Western Ring Road in Pathum Thani and he was arrested.
Huer had been in Pathum Thani prison while awaiting trial for the rape of an underage girl. The escape will add another three to five years behind bars to his term, said police.
The other inmate, Piya, told police that Huer had persuaded him to escape. While at court they used a spoon to loosen their shackles, so that they could shed them easily while in the vehicle on the way back to jail.