Asia

Gold Thief Caught In Thailand Dressed In Wig And Crash Helmet

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.

Heist video camera screenshot

 

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.

Amy Wu

Amy is a Taiwanese graduate student based in Phoenix, Arizona, currently home in Hsinchu to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. She has a passion for Hakka culture, and the rights of minorities around the world. She will cover SE Asian news and topics.

Recent Posts

Canadian wildfire smoke prompts air quality advisory for New York

An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and several regions…

2 days ago

Cambodia calls for ceasefire as Thailand’s Navy joins its Armed forces in the conflict

Tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border have flared into the deadliest conflict between the two nations…

3 days ago

U.S. and Israel condemn France’s move to recognize Palestinian state by September

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has strongly denounced French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to…

4 days ago

Trump administration secures $221 million antisemitism settlement with Columbia University

President Donald Trump’s administration has reached a $221 million settlement with Columbia University, resolving multiple…

4 days ago

US President Trump briefed by Attorney General that his name was in Epstein files

Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Donald J. Trump earlier this year that his name…

5 days ago

US House Speaker Mike Johnson cuts summer session short to avoid Epstein files vote

In a surprise move Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House of Representatives would…

6 days ago