Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A case that initially appeared to be a child abduction sparked panic in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province on the evening of 12 April, only to be resolved as a family misunderstanding involving a father attempting to spend time with his son during the Songkran holiday.

 

At around 20:00, officers at Tha Ruea Police Station were alerted by an elderly woman who reported her nine-year-old grandson missing from outside their home near Wat Satue temple. She feared the child had been abducted, claiming a suspicious covered pickup truck with large stickers had driven off with the boy.

 

The report prompted an urgent response. Police radioed a description of the vehicle to neighbouring precincts, and officers from Tha Chang Police Station in Nakhon Luang district established a checkpoint near Wat Sam Thai. There, they intercepted a vehicle matching the description.

 

Inside, they found the missing boy, seated calmly beside a middle-aged man who was identified as Mr Noppadon 37. The pair were taken back to Tha Ruea Police Station for questioning.

 

Mr Noppadon explained that he was, in fact, the boy’s biological father. He said he had separated from the child’s mother when their son was about one or two years old, after which the boy was raised by his maternal grandmother. Since the separation, Mr Noppadon claimed he had been prevented from having any contact with his son, neither through visits, phone calls, nor social media.

 

According to his statement, he happened to be delivering goods in Ayutthaya on the day of the incident and took the opportunity to see his son. After being refused access by the family, he waited nearby until the boy eventually came outside to meet him. The child reportedly agreed to go with him willingly to celebrate Songkran in Roi Et province.

 

“I didn’t kidnap him,” Mr Noppadon told police. “I just wanted to take my son to enjoy Songkran together. I intended to return him afterwards.”

 

Deputy Police Inspector Pol Lt Thawatch Tuprom said the incident caused alarm among both the public and authorities, as suspected child abductions are extremely rare in the area. Police are currently treating the case as a domestic misunderstanding and are continuing to investigate, taking statements from all involved to determine appropriate next steps.

 

The boy was later returned safely to his family.

 

-- 2025-04-14

 

And we all wonder why the drivers can't see parked trucks on the side of the road!

And the cops are stupid enough to allow a vehicle like that on the road !

18 minutes ago, JoePai said:

And the cops are stupid enough to allow a vehicle like that on the road !

Traffic enforcement Thai style.

Sounds like the father is a delivery driver, so must do a lot of miles. An accident waiting to happen with that windscreen.

Ok, guys above. By all means, do not speak about the subject. In my opinion the father has full right over the grand parents to be together with his son. If there is no court order, they can´t refuse.