Pattaya escape: Police top brass attempt to draw a line on week's events

[webfact]

Pattaya escape: Police top brass attempt to draw a line on week's events

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

Top brass police at a press conference at Pattaya police station yesterday attempted to draw a line under the events of the last week when three suspects in drugs cases escaped from a Pattaya court. 

 

The hunt was full of misreporting and speculation in the Thai media including reporting that the wife of the US man who escaped had been captured when she hadn't, that the American himself had died when he was still alive and other erroneous details about who shot who. 

 

Pol Lt-Gen Satawat Hiranburana - flanked by other senior officers -  attempted to put the record straight in a press briefing attended by a large number of media. He said an investigation was underway to look into help the gang may have received in their escape but he mentioned "negligence" as a more likely cause.

 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

He also dismissed press reports about 40 million baht changing hands. 

 

77kaoded reported that American Bart Allen Helmus was still alive in hospital in a coma. 

 

The 39 year old escaped along with his wife Sirinpha "Om" Wisetrit, 30, and Noi or Ton Nilthes, 40. 

 

Lt-Gen Satawat listed ten people who aided and abetted their escape - these were all named and were four men aged 20,25,31 and one other, and six women aged 18, 19, 23, 27, 32 and 40.

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

The escapees have been charged with five offences including attempted murder, escape using force, weapons offences and firing a weapon. 

 

The accomplices - all of whom are now in custody - have been charged with three offences including criminal conspiracy and aiding and abetting in an escape.

 

Evidence in the form of pliers, chains, clothes, an adapted BB gun and a 9 mm gun were presented. 

 

Five vehicles including cars and pick-ups have been seized. 

 

The breakout happened at 3 pm on Monday, said the Lt-Gen. 

 

One of the conspirators called "Mot" had given Noi a gun that was used to threaten a guard. He fired one time but the shot did not hit anyone. 

 

The guard - Pol Lt Thanamet Phophan - from the Sattahip force but temporarily attached to the Pattaya force - was stabbed by the American Bart when he refused to hand over keys. 

 

He has been reported as recovering in hospital, notes Thaivisa.

 

The three escaped in a pick-up followed by accomplices in a Mitsubishi Mirage and a Toyota Vigo. They went to Jomtien Sai 2 (cut through to Sukhumvit) then into the Huay Yai police jurisdiction. 

 

From there they travelled to Route 331 and on to Bo Win, Sri Racha. Their pick-up was left there. 

 

Accomplices Mot and "Mack" cut the escapees chains and they were given changes of clothes. 

 

Then the three escapees travelled in the Mirage with two women named as "Ning" and "Naen" to Sa Kaeo province. 

 

All five were surrounded in a sugar cane plantation in Wattana Nakhon district. 

 

Noi and the female accomplices gave themselves up without a fight. 

 

Bart and his wife attempted to flee across the border to Cambodia. 

 

Bart took his wife as a hostage and shot her in the head with a gun. This was only a glancing blow and failed to kill her.

 

He then turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head. They were both taken to hospital.

 

No mention was made in the Daily News report of any other shooting. Previous reports suggested that the American had fired at police, notes Thaivisa. 

 

Lt-Gen Satawat praised all concerned for the swift capture of the escapees and resolution of the case. He said that the escapees and the conspirators had met in prison over 1 to 2 months. The escape was not organised in detail but rather by word of mouth. 

 

He dismissed media claims that 40 million baht had changed hands. 

 

Media suggestions that the American wife's pregnancy was a reason for the escape looked spurious. More likely was that they were fleeing because of the very serious nature of the penalties for their alleged drug offences, he said. 

 

He said that an investigation was underway to determine if there was help from officials at the court though he gave more weight to the idea that "negligent work practices" had contributed to the ability of the escapees to flee. 

 

Sources: Daily News | 77kaoded

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-08

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[CelticBhoy]

"The escape was not organised in detail but rather by word of mouth."

 

Arai-wa?  ???? 

[fforest1]

Then the three escapees travelled in the Mirage with two women named as "Ning" and "Naen" to Sa Kaeo province. 

 

Traveled in the Mirage.......Finally they speak truth....... 

[JamJar]

She doesn't come over as an innocent; https://pattayatoday.net/pattaya-today-exclusive-american-man-stabbed-girlfriend-but-did-he/

 

 

[khwaibah]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

Lt-Gen Satawat listed ten people who aided and abetted their escape - these were all named and were four men aged 20,25,31 and one other, and six women aged 18, 19, 23, 27, 32 and 40.

 

Lotto numbers.????

[FritsSikkink]

7 minutes ago, JamJar said:

She doesn't come over as an innocent; https://pattayatoday.net/pattaya-today-exclusive-american-man-stabbed-girlfriend-but-did-he/

 

 

They are both nutters.

[verstrickters]

its all ok now, the info boards are on prominent display. phew!

[Geoffggi]

I still find it difficult to believe any of this tale the only thing missing is at the start the story should read "Once upon a time"......LOL

[verstrickters]

must be the thai woman that has the seriously enabled networking skills. <awestruck>

[legend49]

3 hours ago, verstrickters said:

its all ok now, the info boards are on prominent display. phew!

Shee and they are growing in size ( selfie of BIB)

[Cake Monster]

29 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Shee and they are growing in size ( selfie of BIB)

WOW ! The BIB have excelled themselves with these display boards.

If they get much bigger, they will have to hang them from a Condo or something.

[jacko45k]

Let us not draw a line on rubbish security and ineptitude that allows guns and knives to be smuggled into prisoners. 

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Let us not draw a line on rubbish security and ineptitude that allows guns and knives to be smuggled into prisoners. 

So the two theories are; poor security or 50 million baht bribe.  Let me think ....

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, mikebell said:

So the two theories are; poor security or 50 million baht bribe.  Let me think ....

I am considering bribe-able security as poor security!

[worgeordie]

Well i hope this explanation has cleared things up for everyone????

regards worgeordie

[petermik]

9 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Well i hope this explanation has cleared things up for everyone????

regards worgeordie

Well the BIB seem well satisfied so that,s good enough for me........

 

[30la]

And again the police proud of what they did, make an expensive publicity with no sense but negative for the environment (plastic and more plastic)!

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I am considering bribe-able security as poor security!

I'm as honest as the day is long but 50 million is thought-provoking; it would enable me to get next year's visa easily by bribing Immigration; or I could just put 800K in the bank.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, mikebell said:

I'm as honest as the day is long but 50 million is thought-provoking; it would enable me to get next year's visa easily by bribing Immigration; or I could just put 800K in the bank.

Well yes, if one has be be a crook be a serious one! I just don't imagine the guy slopping the rice to the convicts got 50 million.

[sammieuk1]

Sounds like the explanation missed out Laurel and Hardy Benny Hill and the Chuckle Brothers part in the fiasco ????

[Beggar]

On 11/8/2019 at 10:34 AM, CelticBhoy said:

"The escape was not organised in detail but rather by word of mouth."

 

Arai-wa?  ???? 

Yes - they should have made a display board with their escape plan. 

[overherebc]

????

 

Just a comment on the whole story.

Edited November 10, 2019 by overherebc

[essox essox]

what is this all about....there is NO write up to read ?????!!