BANGKOK, Thailand – A 40-year-old male inmate escaped from Nonthaburi Provincial Prison early Friday morning after climbing out of a prison dormitory. Authorities have launched an urgent manhunt after discovering the suspect has a long criminal record involving multiple offenses, Feb 13.
Closed-circuit television footage from the prison captured the inmate, identified as Chuchai, 40, fleeing from the sleeping quarters before scaling the prison wall near Guard Tower 2. He then rappelled down into the parking area near the prison canteen, opened a gate, and fled toward the Nonthaburi pier area.
Prison officials have filed a complaint with Muang Nonthaburi Police Station, and coordination is underway with law enforcement agencies to track down the escapee.
According to a timeline reconstructed from surveillance footage, the inmate climbed over the prison wall at around 2:22 a.m. and escaped into the parking area before opening the gate and fleeing. At 2:28 a.m., he was seen walking past a shopping mall in Nonthaburi, heading toward the Nonthaburi bypass intersection.
At approximately 2:39 a.m., he passed through the bypass intersection and changed his clothing to a black outfit. By 2:52 a.m., he was seen crossing the road to a traffic police booth beneath the Rama V Bridge, where he briefly sat before escaping across the bridge toward Bang Phai subdistrict in Muang Nonthaburi district.
Background checks revealed that the inmate has a long history of criminal activity, primarily involving drug-related offenses, as well as theft. He has previously been incarcerated in several correctional facilities, including Nonthaburi Provincial Prison, a special drug rehabilitation prison in Pathum Thani, the Central Detention Facility in Pathum Thani, and Suphan Buri Provincial Prison.
Authorities also confirmed that the suspect has five outstanding criminal cases that have not yet been concluded. Police are continuing an intensive search and have urged anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact authorities immediately. (TNA)
