A police hunt was underway for a prisoner serving a drugs sentence who escaped after being taken to a hospital in Phon district of Khon Kaen province for treatment.
The escape was named as Bundit Dinchanthuek, aged 41. He fled from Phon Hospital around 2am on Friday. He was wearing leg chains. Photos of him were circulated online on Friday.
The Phon District Prison posted a message online offering a cash reward of 30,000 baht for information leading to his recapture, along with a photo of the prisoner and phone numbers of prison officials people can call.
Pol Col Thanomsit Wongwicharn, chief of Phon police, said teams were assigned to hunt down and capture the escapee. The prisoner would not be able to travel far wearing leg chains, he said.
Phon district prison chief Phanomkorn Photjana said Bundit was sentenced for possession of 6,000 meth pills. He had complained of acute stomach pains and was sent to Phon Hospital on Thursday evening after a doctor diagnosed possible appendicitis. There was another inmate receiving treatment in the same building. They were supervised by three prison officers.
The prisoner escaped around 2am through the back of the hospital building, he said.
On Friday afternoon, prison officials searched a forested area near the hospital, but found no trace of the escapee.