3 Thai man arrested for kidnapping Indonesian man for ransom

Police arrested three Thai men for kidnapping an Indonesian man, detaining him in a residence in the southern province of Phatthalung, and demanding a ransom of 2.3 million baht from the victim’s family.

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia sought assistance from officers of Mueang Phatthalung Police Station after receiving a report about the kidnapping of a 29 year old Indonesian man named Syawana. He was abducted on May 11 when he was in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla province and taken to a house in Phatthalung.

The three Thai men recorded videos of themselves physically assaulting Syawana and sent the recordings to his sister, demanding 2.3 million baht for Syawana’s release.

Syawana pretended to agree to their demands and requested to use his phone to transfer the money. He sent 800,000 baht to the group and secretly sent his location to his sister.

Police raided the accommodation and successfully rescued the Indonesian man today, May 15. The three suspects, identified as Rusawan, Saidee, and Weerasak, were arrested at the scene. A 9mm pistol and handcuffs were also seized.

The suspects and the victim are currently being questioned by Thai police. Officers have not yet released further details about the case.

Channel 7 reported that the house where Syawana was held belonged to the wife of a major prisoner who escaped from jail in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chaowalit “Paeng” Thongduang, known as Sia Paeng Nanode. The three suspects are suspected to have close ties to Chaowalit.

Chaowalit was imprisoned for attempting to murder a police officer in Phatthalung in 2019. He escaped while receiving treatment at Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital on October 22, and remains at large.

While Channel 3 reported that Syawana was the only Indonesian kidnapped, Matichon stated that two other Indonesian men were also abducted at the same time.

Further details on the case will be released by the police.