Fourth Army chief knows gold heist suspects, unfazed by southern unrest
Fourth Army chief Lt Gen Norathip Poinok says suspects in the Narathiwat gold heist are known, with two dual nationals involved.
At the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) on Monday, Lt Gen Norathip Poinok, commander of the Fourth Army Area, provided an update on the investigation into the gold shop robbery in Su-ngai Kolok district, Narathiwat province, where 600 baht weight of gold was stolen.
He said that authorities have already identified those involved and that the case is under active investigation.
Asked whether the culprits were members of insurgent groups or former officials, Norathip said it was too early to confirm, as the probe was ongoing. Regarding whether the stolen gold remained in the country, he replied that the matter was still unclear but promised to provide details once confirmed.
When pressed on whether all suspects were still in Thailand, he said some had left the country while others remained, adding that Thai authorities had coordinated with neighbouring countries to track down those who had crossed the border. He also acknowledged that two dual-national individuals were linked to the case.
Asked whether the recent string of violent incidents had caused him concern since assuming his post, the Fourth Army commander said he was not discouraged and would continue to face every challenge head-on.
On whether the recent unrest was intended as an “initiation” for his leadership, he replied that he was ready to face it.
