Infected inmate escapee from Koh Samui Hospital surrenders, says he got hungry

The inmate infected with Covid-19 who escaped from Koh Samui Hospital has reportedly surrendered to police. Apparently, he turned himself in to police because he got hungry. With prisons and correctional facilities requiring a quarantine period for all new inmates, and with a number of them testing positive for Covid-19, there has been an increase in prisoner escapes, according to Thailand’s Justice Minister.

The inmate on the Gulf of Thailand island Koh Samui, 30 year old Thawatchai “Toomtam” Kaewnopparat, was arrested on drug charges on January 20. He tested positive for Covid-19 in a routine screening required by corrections officials and he was transferred to the hospital for treatment. After he escaped, officials set a 20,000 baht bounty for anyone with information on the inmate’s whereabouts.

Reports yesterday said the inmate was picked up by a car outside the hospital, but the inmate says he actually went out a window and continued walking until he found a motorbike garage. He then sawed off his ankle chain. But reports say he didn’t have access to food or water and he got so hungry and thirsty that he decided to surrender.

Thai media says the inmate called the police at 10pm yesterday. Officers arrested him at a house in the Mea Nam sub-district of Koh Samui.

SOURCE: Khaosod