NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A drug suspect who escaped from Lan Saka police station on Saturday has been recaptured on a mountain in Nop Phi Tham district of this southern province.
Natthaphong Duangkaew, 23, alias “Mok Kamlone’’, a major drug agent in Lan Saka district, was recaptured while driving a pickup truck from Krungching mountain on Thursday, said Pol Col Somkhid Damkliang, chief of Lan Saka police.
Mr Natthaphong was earlier arrested with some accomplices after police seized 1,800 speed pills, some crystal methamphetamine and three pistols from them on May 29. On the following day, he managed to unlock his handcuffs and ran away from the police station while officers were about to take him to the Nakhon Si Thammarat Correctional Institute for Young Offenders.
Pol Col Somkhid said a manhunt had been stepped up and police later learned that the drug suspect had been in hiding on Krungching mountain. They were divided into teams to find Mr Natthaphong, who was subsequently caught while driving his pickup truck down from the moutain. The suspect was taken to Lan Saka police station.
During the interrogation, Mr Natthapong allgedly told police that after being taken into custody the first time, he saw an opportunity to escape when police were about to move him. After fleeing from the police station, a close aide took him to hide on Krungching mountain. He planned to cross the border to Laos, but was caught first.