Police seek to extend detention of 5 suspects in programmer’s assault, hunt for 2 more

Investigators from Bangkok’s Chokchai Police Station asked the Criminal Court for the detention of the accused for another 12 days pending the completion of an investigation.

Police opposed a bail request by the accused on grounds that the offences carry heavy penalties and they could escape during temporary release. Police also argued that the accused could interfere with evidence and witnesses.

On February 6, the programmer filed a police complaint, saying he was assaulted, extorted, detained and robbed by the five suspects last month after they suspected him of skimming money from the illegal gambling website’s revenue.

The programmer, who was not identified by police, also claimed that a senior police officer holding the rank of major-general who allegedly owns this gambling website had ordered the assault.

The complainant told police that he had worked as a programmer for the online gambling platform for over five years and was responsible for providing advice to customers about money deposits and withdrawals.

His alleged assailants, who acted as administrators of the website, later suspected him of hiding some money for himself. They told him to meet them at a coffee shop in Chonburi on January 12 and began attacking him when he denied any knowledge of the missing money.

They then took his phone and tablet computer before transferring 25,000 baht from his bank account through a mobile application. They later took the programmer to his home in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao area and helped themselves to some of his belongings.

The five accused – three men and two women – were identified as Patchawan Pumriab, Montri Kasa, Chaichana Chuayboonnak, Ramita Sudjit, and Thanet Lekbanjong. They were arrested on Friday.

Police are still hunting for two other men allegedly involved in the incident but still at large. They were identified as Krissada Jamjamras and Suthat Pimsen.