Chumphon: A male drug convict who escaped from Chumphon Temporary Prison has been arrested. He was found to be depressed and missing his family. He could not stand it anymore and escaped.
According to Thai News Agency, the convict, identified as Mr. Chaowapat, aged 31, was originally detained on charges of possession of methamphetamine pills for sale. He managed to escape from the temporary prison in Huai Klang, Village 4, Lang Suan District, Chumphon Province at around 3:00 p.m. on January 20. In response, Lang Suan Police Station and officials from Lang Suan Prison coordinated efforts to locate and apprehend him, conducting overnight searches for more than 10 hours. This included deploying officers to visit the homes of Mr. Chaowapat's relatives and friends in Tambon Phra Rak, Amphoe Phato, Chumphon Province.
Mr. Chaowapat was eventually discovered at Khuan Hin Mui train station in the Nakha sub-district of Lang Suan district, approximately 3 km from where he initially escaped. Upon his arrest, he was taken to Lang Suan police station for questioning. However, he refused to provide any statements. The arresting officers noted that Mr. Chaowapat suffers from depression, which was exacerbated by separation from his wife, children, and parents. His sentence was nearing completion, prompting prison guards to allow him work outside the temporary facility, which presented him with the opportunity to escape when no officers were present. The authorities have since charged him with escaping from custody as per the court's order, with legal proceedings currently underway before he is to appear in court.
The Lang Suan Provincial Court had sentenced Mr. Chaowapat to five years in prison, a decision finalized in his case. Detained at Lang Suan Prison since September 22, 2021, he was slated for release in early August 2026. Recently, he was transferred from Lang Suan Prison to Huai Klang Temporary Prison, where he managed to escape on the afternoon of January 20.