Bangkok Police Seize 700 Million Baht of Crystal Meth

Coming up in today’s Thailand and Pattaya news, a Koh Samui prisoner is back behind bars after claiming his handcuffs simply fell off. Bangkok police seize a staggering 700 million baht worth of drugs, while Am Cyanide receives yet another death sentence. At sea, a desperate search continues for seven missing fishermen. Plus, in Pattaya, paying a traffic fine could soon become a lot easier.

Escaped Koh Samui Prisoner Recaptured in the Hills

The search for an escaped prisoner on Koh Samui has finally ended, with the fugitive discovered hiding in the hills after hunger apparently got the better of him. Local residents spotted the man coming down from his hiding place in search of food and alerted police, who quickly moved in and arrested him.

He had been on the run for five days after somehow managing to get out of his handcuffs while being taken to the provincial court. His explanation to police afterwards didn’t exactly clear things up. During questioning, the man initially claimed he couldn’t remember his own name and insisted he’d done nothing wrong.

Asked about his escape, he acknowledged that he’d been taken to court but apparently denied deliberately escaping. Instead, he claimed that his handcuffs had somehow come off by themselves, and, having discovered himself unexpectedly free of them, he decided to run away.

The man said he’d escaped on foot through mountain ridges and wooded areas. He also reportedly admitted that at one point he’d secretly returned to his own home to sleep before heading back into hiding. Eventually, though, the need for food brought him out, and waiting police brought his five days of freedom to an end.

Bangkok Police Seize 700 Million Baht of Crystal Meth

In Bangkok’s Min Buri district, meanwhile, police have made a huge drug seizure after discovering around 350 kg of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated value of 700 million baht. A 26-year-old Hong Kong Chinese man was arrested following information that a property was allegedly being used as a staging point for drugs entering Thailand from a neighbouring country.

Police believe the drugs were being temporarily stored there before being transported south and eventually shipped overseas. Officers also seized equipment including plastic bags, cardboard boxes, digital scales, blenders, sealing equipment, suitcases, and plastic containers, all of which will now form part of the investigation into the wider trafficking network.

The arrested man allegedly told police he was being paid around 85,000 baht for his part in the operation.

Am Cyanide Receives an Eighth Death Sentence

A Bangkok court has meanwhile handed down another death sentence to the woman widely known in Thailand as Am Cyanide, following another separate murder conviction. This is now the eighth case in which she has reportedly been found guilty.

Because the deaths are being prosecuted as separate cases under Thai law, individual trials and judgments have continued rather than the allegations being dealt with as one single proceeding. In this latest case, the court found her guilty of poisoning a woman with cyanide after borrowing money from her.

The wider investigation began several years ago and eventually developed into one of Thailand’s most extraordinary serial murder cases. Police and forensic investigators linked a number of suspicious deaths with financial disputes, with debts reportedly featuring in several of the cases.

Seven Fishermen Missing After a Boat Sinks

Thirteen crew members were rescued, but seven others remained missing after a fishing boat sank in rough seas between the Sattahip area and the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Initial reports indicated that around 20 people were aboard when the vessel encountered storm conditions and powerful waves before going down.

Rescue teams managed to bring approximately 13 people to safety, but as of last night, another seven, including the captain, remained unaccounted for. The Royal Thai Navy joined the operation together with rescue teams and crews from other fishing boats as they continued searching the area.

Conditions have made that work particularly difficult, with strong waves continuing as rescuers race against time to locate those still missing.

Truck Overturns on Route 36 Near Pattaya

Meanwhile, closer to home and east of Pattaya, 11 people were injured, some seriously, when a six-wheel truck carrying workers overturned on Route 36. Emergency crews and ambulances were called to the scene yesterday. Rescue equipment had to be used to free some of those trapped in the vehicle.

The driver told authorities he’d been transporting workers from Rayong province to a company in Si Racha when he encountered slippery road conditions. He said he lost control while attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

All 11 injured people were treated by emergency teams, with those requiring further treatment being taken to hospital.

Pattaya Tightens Beach and Public Space Regulations

Here in Pattaya itself, City Hall is preparing another round of measures aimed at bringing a little more order to the city’s beaches, roads, and public spaces. A meeting led by a deputy mayor has been discussing tighter regulation of deck chair rentals and beach vendors, including those selling food, drinks, and massage services.

The intention isn’t to remove the services that visitors enjoy, but to make sure businesses operate within clearly defined areas and don’t gradually take over public space intended for everybody. Parking enforcement is also on the agenda.

City teams are expected to repaint faded no-parking markings and improve enforcement in areas where illegally parked vehicles are creating congestion or blocking public access. Officials say the wider programme will also look at the private occupation of public areas.

Pattaya Introduces QR Code Traffic Fine Payments

And there could soon be some welcome convenience for motorists who find themselves on the receiving end of a traffic fine. A QR code payment system is being introduced, which should eventually allow motorists to settle eligible fines directly from their phones rather than having to make a journey to the police station and then join a queue.

Although, just to avoid any confusion after the recent warnings about fake traffic fine messages, motorists should only use QR codes and payment channels provided through verified official police procedures, not unexpected links or QR codes arriving by SMS.