Pattaya captors of Chinese man may have had illegal student visas, says “Big Joke”

UPDATE

More details are emerging on the kidnapping of a Chinese man in Pattaya in the early hours of Sunday morning. The captors cut off one of the man’s pinky fingers.

The man’s captors may be Chinese nationals in Thailand on illegal student visas, according to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn.

An investigation found that the suspects extended their visas at an immigration centre in the northeast Udon Thani province. The victim, 41 year old Ren Haibd, extended his visa in Phrae province. Surachate said he would check with the immigration commissioners on why the suspects could have their visas extended even though they were not students.

Surachate also ordered officers to investigate if Ren had any conflict of interest with the suspects about illegal businesses, such as a scam call centre gang or a drug cartel.

Ren was abducted from Walking Street in South Pattaya, according to a police report. A forensic team searched a house where Ren was held captive. For evidence, the team kept a robe, duct tape, and a knife that they believed was used to cut off Ren’s finger, The Pattaya News reported.

Ren reportedly managed to escape his captors when they fell asleep after using ketamine. He then managed to get to a house nearby, and the owner called the police, Nation Thailand reported.

One suspect was arrested in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area this morning. He reportedly indicated that there were four others involved.

ORIGINAL STORY

Pattaya Police say that a Chinese man had his finger cut off by a ransom gang who held him captive. The man, 41 year old Ren Haibd, suddenly disappeared at midnight on October 30, according to his Thai girlfriend, 20 year old Alisara Supasiribundit.

Alisara said that Ren and his car were both gone. She said Ren’s brother contacted her the next morning and told her that Ren had been kidnapped. The brother showed Alisara a video clip of the Chinese man Ren tied up with duct tape over his eyes and his finger getting cut off and bleeding heavily, The Pattaya News reported.

The video was sent to Ren’s brother with a ransom demand for freeing him. Some outlets reported that the demand was 30 million baht, while others reported it was 30 million yuan, equal to about 150 million baht.

Alisara and Ren’s brother transferred 50,000 baht three times to the suspect through a cryptocurrency exchange totalling 150,000 baht.

Chon Buri police and Pattaya Tourist Police found Ren at a house in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung district, with his pinky finger chopped off, police said. Ren was rushed to a hospital.

Ren’s car was found near the Mabprachan Reservoir, and forensic officers were collecting fingerprints in the house and the car to track down the culprits. A news anchor for Channel 3 has posted an update on Facebook, saying that the ring leader has been caught at a condo in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area.