Phuket
Embassy raiders flee, hostages unharmed

BANGKOK (AFP): The siege of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok ended this afternoon almost as swiftly as it began yesterday, with the five gunmen being flown in a police helicopter to Ratchaburi Province, near the Thai-Myanmar border, where they are reported to have fled into the countryside. On landing, they released Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra and one other official. Sukhumbhand had offered himself in exchange for hostages held captive for over 24 hours at the embassy. The hostages – released shaken but unhurt – expressed relief, saying they felt they had been “reborn”. Officials quickly ushered them into waiting vans and drove them to a nearby hospital for medical checkups, and then away for questioning by police. “We are very, very happy,” said a man identified only as Prasert, a Thai national who acted as mediator between the Burmese student captors and the hostages. “It is as if we were dead and have been reborn. Everybody is safe,” he told reporters following the release of the last 23 of the 40 hostages held in the embassy. The five raiders, calling themselves the “Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors”, had threatened to begin killing the hostages if the helicopter was not provided.
Get more from The Thaiger
Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.
Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.
Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.
- Environment20 hours ago
Dengue hasn’t gone away – Dengue fever in Thailand 2022, and how to avoid it
- Events22 hours ago
Visakha Bucha Day 2022. Today is the substitute public holiday.
- Best of18 hours ago
Siam Paragon wins the Best Luxury Shopping Mall 2022 Award
- Thailand4 days ago
First day of Thailand’s rainy season: heavy rain warning for 36 provinces
- Phuket3 days ago
UPDATE: CCTV footage of missing German tourist in Phuket
- Krabi4 days ago
Islands in Krabi to temporarily close for restoration
- Koh Samui2 days ago
Romanian tourist dies after falling from Koh Samui waterfall
- Visa4 days ago
UK Pensions in Thailand losing up to 20,160 baht a year
You must be logged in to post a comment Login