28-8-2024 (BANGKOK) A 17-year-old Thai student, son of a secretary to the Chaiyaphum mayor, has been safely returned to Thailand following a harrowing ordeal of abduction and ransom demands in Cambodia. The successful rescue, completed on Wednesday, highlights the growing concern over cross-border kidnapping and ransom schemes in Southeast Asia.
Chaitawat Keeratirat, the victim’s father, alerted Muang Chaiyaphum police on Tuesday after his son was forcibly taken from his university dormitory in Pathum Thani province and transported across the border to Cambodia. The young man managed to contact his father via the Line messaging app, informing him of his captivity in an unknown location within Cambodia.
The situation escalated when Mr Keeratirat received an online ransom demand for 2 million baht (approximately £45,000), accompanied by threats to his son’s life if the sum was not paid. Faced with this dire scenario, Mr Keeratirat promptly involved law enforcement.
Pol Maj Gen Suchart Klaichanpong, commander of Chaiyaphum provincial police, revealed that analysis of mobile phone signals confirmed the teenager’s presence in Cambodia. Throughout his captivity, the young man maintained contact with his parents, providing crucial information to aid the rescue efforts.
In a display of international cooperation, Thai police coordinated with Cambodian authorities to locate and retrieve the abducted student. Cambodian law enforcement successfully found the young man and escorted him to an immigration checkpoint. After being fined for illegal entry into Cambodia, he was safely transferred to Thai police custody on Wednesday.
Initial investigations have uncovered a disturbing trend in the modus operandi of the kidnappers. The teenager fell victim to a scam gang posing as police officers, a tactic that has become increasingly prevalent and against which Thai authorities have been warning the public. The imposters accused the young man of involvement in drug trafficking, coercing him into a meeting before carrying out the abduction.
