A Thai man believed to be behind a six million baht (NT$5.48 million) gold heist in the capital Bangkok was yesterday caught as he tried to move across the northeastern border into neighboring Laos.
Chaimongkol Jaiboon-upatam, 38, was picked up by police in the town of Loei in the largely rural Pak Chom district over 600km from Bangkok.
Reports indicate police were able to track him down to this remote corner of the country having viewed surveillance camera footage of him getting on a bus in Bangkok headed for Loei.
And although he had used a gun at the time of heist in the capital it is not understood if he was armed or posed a threat to officers when apprehended.
When holding up the Yaowarat Krungthep Gold Shop in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao-Wang Hin early Sunday, the suspect was recorded on the store’s security video wearing a woman’s wig under a crash helmet with a mask covering his face.
He escaped the store with three kilograms of gold jewelry according to police.
Mr. Chaimongkol, now in custody, will also be charged with a similar gold shop robbery from July 26th, 2019, when it is believed he held up the Mae Thongphool Gold Shop in the Big C superstore in Khon Kaen in central east Thailand.
On that occasion he is understood to have made off with more than seven million baht worth of gold jewelry.
