Thai court remands Chaowalit after nine-hour interrogation

Police have detained Chaowalit “Paeng” Thongduang, who remains resolute after nine hours of interrogation, denying all allegations against him. He was remanded by the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Court before being flown to Bangkok.

Officers from Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police Station escorted Chaowalit from his cell to the provincial court early today, ensuring strict security throughout the journey. The court proceedings took approximately one hour, and by 9.03am, Chaowalit was transported to Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to board a flight to Bangkok.

Police Major General Somchai Suetortrakul, the Provincial Police Commander, confirmed that the interrogation concluded at 4am. Initially, local police conducted the questioning, followed by officers from Phatthalung Province who questioned Chaowalit in connection with three additional cases.

During the questioning, Chaowalit provided limited information and did not exhibit signs of stress. His brother and two lawyers were present throughout the process. According to the police, Chaowalit exercised his right to remain silent and denied all charges, said Somchai.

“Chaowalit denied all allegations and chose not to provide statements during the investigation, which is his legal right. Therefore, there was no need for further detainment for interrogation purposes.”

At 8am, police sought the court’s permission to remand Chaowalit. Following the court’s approval, Chaowalit was handed over to the Department of Corrections, which arranged for his transfer to Bangkok. The Air Force’s C130 aircraft awaited him at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport, reported KhaoSod.

Diamond ring

Reporters on the scene noted that after the interrogation ended at 4am, Chaowalit returned to his cell to rest, awaiting the court’s decision. The detention officers reported that Chaowalit appeared relaxed, even smiling, despite the exhaustion from the lengthy interrogation and travel.

In related news, Chaowalit accused Indonesian police of stealing his diamond ring during his arrest in Bali.

Chaowalit was extradited from Indonesia to the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, June 4, via a flight from Jakarta International Airport.

At the airport, Chaowalit assured a ThaiRath reporter that he would not escape again and was confident that authorities would treat him fairly.

According to ThaiRath, Chaowalit informed the Thai authorities that his diamond ring went missing during his arrest and detention in Indonesia.

Indonesian police denied the accusation, stating that they handed over all of Chaowalit’s belongings and valuables to Thai police. They maintain that no valuables were taken from the prisoner.

As of now, Thai authorities have not yet clarified the situation regarding the missing ring to the public.