An investigation has been launched after a prisoner due to be released at the end of this month escaped from Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok on Tuesday morning.
Officials said the man had been getting job training prior to his release, and there was no reason for him to flee.
Kritsada Muangphrae, convicted of theft charges, took off around 9am while working in the car care zone inside the prison.
Pol Col Ittichet Wonghomhuan, chief of Prachachuen police station, said a hunt was underway for the escapee. Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call the police 191 hotline.
Kritsada, from Bangkok’s Din Daeng district, was sentenced to six years in prison for theft. The term was later commuted to three years. He was due to be freed on Feb 28.
Narat Svetanan, director-general of the Corrections Department, on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the escape.
This would include whether there was any negligence on part of prison officials, Pol Col Narat said.
It was possible nobody expected that a prisoner who was due to be released in about two weeks would attempt to escape, he said.
Kritsada had been receiving occupational training at the prison’s car care centre for more than eight months in preparation for his release back into society.
There was no known reason for Kritsada to escape at this time, the department chief said.
Maybe the prisoner believed police would arrest him on other charges on his release, so he fled instead, he suggested.
Since Oct 1 last year, eight inmates had escaped from prisons, he said. All were recaptured.