Arrest warrant issued for pro-democracy guard over alleged false claims of abduction
The Bangkok Military Court has issued an arrest warrant for Mongkol Santimetakul, 23, one of the pro-democracy movement’s guards who had claimed that he was abducted by mysterious men on Saturday night.
Mongkol’s night-long disappearance led to members of the pro-democracy group and guards gather outside the Internal Security Operations Command in Bangkok's Dusit district on Sunday morning to demand answers over Mongkol's disappearance.
“After Mongkol had filed a police complaint on Sunday afternoon, a team of investigators checked CCTV footage in the area indicated by Mongkol to find clues of the so-called abduction,” said Chumpol Pumpuang, Samut Prakan police chief on Thursday.
“The footage showed that he went to Ingthan Place building in Soi Bang Pu Municipality 47 and spent the night there alone, before leaving the building at 11.57am on Sunday. The team also reportedly found he had used an ATM at the time he claimed he was abducted.”
Mongkol was summoned by police to acknowledge his charge of reporting false information at Muang Samut Prakan Police Station on Monday, but he failed to show up. This prompted police to investigate his record and found that he had also deserted the military, which he was serving in December 2019, so the police requested the Bangkok Military Court to issue an arrest warrant.
“We are still unable to locate him after visiting his residence in Samut Prakarn’s Praekasa district and questioning his family,” added Chumpol.