
06/06/2025
Pattaya police under fire after Chinese fraud suspect escapes through station window— later captured in Chanthaburi hotel
PATTAYA, Thailand – A dramatic escape unfolded at Pattaya City Police Station after a 38-year-old Chinese national, identified as Mr. Li, fled custody by jumping out of a second-floor interrogation room window during a late-night police interview.
Mr. Li had been arrested earlier at Don Mueang International Airport by immigration officers as he attempted to board an AirAsia flight to Da Nang, Vietnam. He was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court on charges of fraud. The case stems from a complaint by a Thai victim who claimed Mr. Li lured them into exchanging yuan for USDT (a digital cryptocurrency), leading to a loss of approximately 1.26 million baht when the promised funds were never transferred.
After his arrest, Mr. Li was transferred to Pattaya Police Station for further legal processing. However, at around 12:50 a.m. on June 5, during questioning in Interrogation Room 19 on the second floor, he seized an unguarded moment, opened a window, and leapt out. An officer attempted to follow but was injured and unable to apprehend him.
Mr. Li fled toward the back of the police residential flats in Soi 9, heading in the direction of Pattaya Second Road. Despite a three-hour search operation involving multiple patrol units and the use of CCTV footage, he remains at large.
Chonburi Provincial Police later issued a formal statement, confirming the suspect had escaped by exploiting a lapse in supervision. Authorities have since alerted Immigration Bureau offices nationwide to prevent him from fleeing the country and have formed a special investigative team to trace his whereabouts.
Police Major General Thawatkiat Jindakhuansanong, Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police, has ordered a full investigation into the escape and emphasized the urgency of recapturing Mr. Li. A disciplinary inquiry has also been launched into the officers responsible for his custody.
Later that same day, Mr. Li’s brief escape came to an end. After paying a taxi driver 4,000 baht to take him from Pattaya to Chanthaburi, he checked into a hotel in the Mueang district. Acting on a tip-off from a concerned citizen, local police tracked him down and found him lying in bed. He was arrested without resistance. Mr. Li is now undergoing further questioning before being transported back to Pattaya Police Station — this time under heightened security to face legal proceedings.
*News Source: pattayamail