Koh Samui hide ‘n’ seek: Fugitive’s 19-year retreat ends in arrest

Police apprehended a fugitive on the island of Koh Samui who had been evading capture for 19 years. The 47 year old suspect was only one year away from the statute of limitations expiring for his crimes.

Police, under the direction of Lieutenant General Jiraphop Phuridech, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and led by Major General Montri Theskhan, Colonel Phongpanot Chukaew, and Lieutenant Colonel Thanakorn Uchanarasamee, executed the arrest.

Rathakorn, under a warrant issued by the Phatthalung Provincial Court on December 1, 2005, was charged with premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, carrying firearms in public without permission, and carrying firearms without urgent necessity.

Rathakorn had been living a secluded life on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, avoiding any contact with police. He even refrained from seeking medical attention after being involved in a car accident and did not attend his father’s funeral to avoid detection. His evasive behaviour included not renewing his identification card and avoiding hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The police finally tracked him down to a residence in Maenam, Koh Samui, where he was arrested while heading to work in the morning. Despite being shown the arrest warrant, Rathakorn denied all allegations. He was subsequently taken to Phatthalung Police Station, where the original crime took place, to face legal proceedings.

The case dates back to late 2005 when Rathakorn and his accomplices visited a nightclub in Phatthalung. A dispute with another group escalated, leading Rathakorn and his associates to follow the rival group in a car after the nightclub closed. They encountered the rival group in front of Kanchanaphisek Park on Ramesuan Road in Kuhasawan, Mueang Phatthalung. Rathakorn then allegedly shot and killed one of the rivals.

Fugitive arrest

Following the incident, Rathakorn and his accomplices went their separate ways to evade arrest. While his friends were eventually apprehended, Rathakorn managed to remain at large, constantly relocating to avoid capture. He believed that hiding on Koh Samui, a remote island, would keep him safe from police detection.

In a police interview, Rathakorn admitted to being aware of the arrest warrant against him and said he had been in hiding ever since. He thought the remote location of Koh Samui would prevent the police from finding him.

For nearly two decades, he avoided all forms of identification and government transactions. He even skipped getting a Covid-19 vaccine and stayed away from his father’s funeral in Phatthalung, knowing that police were monitoring the event, reported KhaoSod.

“I thought I could endure just one more year until the statute of limitations expired but the police managed to catch me.”