10-7-2023 (BANGKOK) Police suspect that extortion was the motive behind the disappearance of a wealthy German businessman, Hans Peter Ralter Mack, 62, in Pattaya last week. Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy police chief, stated on Monday that investigators had identified a woman who is believed to have pointed out Mr Mack to his abductors and received money from the missing property broker.
Pol Gen Surachate confirmed that the police would find Mr Mack, whether he was alive or dead. Investigators are compiling their case to apply for court warrants and expect an arrest in the near future. The deputy national police chief stated that the case concerns assets, and the offender seemed to know that Mr Mack had assets, so detectives must find out if he knew Mr Mack personally.
Moreover, the police will look into the business activities of other people involved in the case. On Sunday, the police found Mr Mack’s silver Mercedes-Benz E350 coupe in the CC Condominium parking lot on Khao Noi road in tambon Nong Prue. Pol Gen Surachate confirmed that a chemical cleanser had been used inside the vehicle in an attempt to destroy evidence.
In connection with the case, two foreigners were called in for questioning at Nong Prue police station in Bang Lamung district on Sunday night, accompanied by their lawyers. Pol Col Tawee Kudthalaeng, Nong Prue police chief, stated that the two declined to give statements and said their lawyers would represent them in any legal proceedings.
Police had earlier questioned a woman suspected of involvement in Mr Mack’s disappearance, who also declined to cooperate, saying her lawyer would act on her behalf. Later on Sunday night, Pol Maj Gen Theerachai Chamnanmor, chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 2, led immigration and tourist police to search house 21/302 in Chok Chai Garden 2 housing estate at Moo 10 in tambon Nong Prue with a court warrant. The house belonged to one of the suspects, but the police did not find anything suspicious inside.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that investigators had detected suspicious financial transactions totalling about 2 million baht that might be linked to the man’s disappearance. Mr Mack has not been seen since July 4 when he left his home in the Swiss Paradise housing estate in Pattaya to meet a foreign property broker he had recently met. His Thai wife, Piriya Boonmark, filed a missing person complaint with the police on July 5 and later offered a reward of 3 million baht for information on Mr Mack’s whereabouts and 100,000 (S$3800) baht for his car.
