According to Thai media outlet News Ch7, on August 23, a 29-year-old Chinese woman planned to study in Singapore and visit Thailand along the way. However, she was kidnapped at a hotel in Bangkok, her hands were tied with tape, and she was taken by vehicle. The kidnappers attempted to transfer her across the Myo-Sum border into Myanmar. During the journey, the victim desperately tried to open the car door and jump out to seek help. The police captured all four suspects on August 23 and 24.
According to reports, on the day of the incident, the woman believed that there would be a “guide” who would pick her up at a hotel in Bangkok. She then boarded a black sedan. However, shortly after leaving the hotel, the sedan picked up three more men. Realizing she had been deceived, the woman tried to resist and attempt to get out of the car. But her phone was stolen, her hands were tied with tape, and her mouth was hit by an elbow.
When the vehicle encountered a checkpoint in Kampong Cham City, the police indicated that the vehicle should stop for inspection. The victim realized this might be his last chance to escape, so he took the opportunity to shout for help. As a result, the suspect drove away from the checkpoint.
The sequence of how the woman escaped is not consistent. According to the Malay newspaper Star, the woman's initial statement was that the suspect pushed her or abandoned her car near a glasses store on Lachidanen Road.
However, in her subsequent statements, she said that she used all her effort to open a door and escape from the moving vehicle.
Finally, she ran to a beauty salon near the intersection and knocked on the door to call for help. Enthusiastic citizens and officers from the Kangpongbi Police Station quickly arrived at the scene and sent her to Kangpongbi Hospital to treat her wounds and check her physical condition.
Meanwhile, upon receiving the report, Colonel Somchai Somsri, the director of the Gangpongi Police Department, ordered the patrol officers to immediately pursue and intercept the suspect vehicle. The criminals blatantly broke through the checkpoint at Julaa, ignoring legal instructions. When they tried to escape into the Lan Dokmai town area, the suspect vehicle was unable to continue moving due to a tire being detonated by the police. As a result, the criminals abandoned their vehicle and fled into the woods along the roadside.
The police arrested two Thai suspects on the spot. They are Songj and Jidipong, both aged 41 and 24 respectively. Both are from Mayso District in Daerah Phrae. The remaining two suspects were also captured by Thai police on the 24th.
Sungi and Jidipong were arrested on the spot. News Ch7
After being examined at Kampong Bee Hospital, the victim was accompanied by police and a Chinese translator to the Kampong Bee Police Station to provide a statement.
In the preliminary investigation, the woman said that her original plan was to go to Singapore to pursue a master’s degree. However, a “friend” she met on social networks advised her to travel to Thailand instead. After arriving in Bangkok and checking into a hotel, she contacted a person who was suspected to be a tour guide via phone. She never met this person in person; all communication was done over the phone. The kidnapping incident occurred on the 23rd.
The red mark on the victim’s arm, caused by the ties used to restrain her. News Ch7
Currently, Colonel Su Wee Phisong, the Deputy Director of the Kampong Cham Police, is in charge of this case. He is working together with the police investigation team to interrogate the arrested suspects in order to further investigate the criminal network behind the incident. The driver, Jitti Peng, claimed that he was hired by Sompong and was responsible for driving to pick up this Chinese woman, with a payment of 10,000 Thai bahts (approximately 2051 yuan).
He claimed that after meeting everyone, two men in the back seat forcibly took the Chinese woman’s phone and tied her hands. He asked what they were planning to do, and one of them told him, “Don’t meddle, just drive.” He was arrested by the police upon arriving at Kampong Campu.
The police indicated that the method of committing the crime exhibited characteristics of a cross-border human trafficking network: individuals established trust through online social platforms, and subsequently different members were assigned responsibilities such as arranging vehicles, controlling them, and escorting victims. Eventually, locals transported the victims to the border.
This case reminds all foreign tourists who go to Thailand not to trust strangers they meet on social networks. It is essential to arrange your trip through a legitimate travel agency or through official channels before traveling.
