PATTAYA, THAILAND – A Chinese national wanted for fraud and theft has been recaptured after making a bold escape from Pattaya police station, prompting a 17-hour manhunt that ended in Chanthaburi province.
The Escape
Li Jian, 38, made headlines after leaping from a second-floor window of the Pattaya City police station on Wednesday. He had been arrested at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok while trying to board a flight to Vietnam, in connection with a fraud case filed by a fellow Chinese national.
While under interrogation on the second floor of the police station, Li stunned officers by jumping out the window. A pursuing officer also leapt after him but was injured after colliding with a marble table, rendering him unable to continue the chase. Li managed to evade capture and disappear.
The Manhunt
Pattaya investigators quickly launched an intensive operation, analyzing CCTV footage to trace his movements. It was discovered that Li had hired a taxi for 4,000 baht to flee to Chanthaburi province, near the Cambodian border.
Police coordinated with Pol Maj Gen Phadungsak Raksasuk, chief of Chanthaburi provincial police, to track down the fugitive. He was eventually apprehended at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at a hotel on Maharaj Road in Muang district, Chanthaburi.
At the time of his arrest, Li appeared stressed and exhausted. He was escorted back to Pattaya around midnight and questioned further on the third floor of the police station.
Criminal Background
Li Jian was not only wanted on fraud charges but also had a criminal record that included the theft of a luxury watch in a case under the jurisdiction of Makkasan police station in Bangkok.
Authorities in Chanthaburi have filed additional charges against him for escaping lawful custody during judicial detention.
Legal Proceedings Ahead
Pattaya police, under Pol Col Anek Srathongyoo, are now working with prosecutors to compile all evidence and submit it to court. Investigations continue into how the escape was possible under police supervision.
While the motive for Li’s desperate escape remains unknown, his arrest highlights the challenges police face in detaining high-risk international suspects.
