Police launch manhunt after escaped convict traced to mountain hideout
A manhunt is underway in thickly forested mountains between Phatthalung and Trang after a villager was arrested for allegedly supplying food to an escaped Phatthalung crime boss.
A police team was dispatched on Wednesday to search the Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary in the Banthat Mountains, on the border between the two southern provinces.
Police are checking trails that lead to a mountain summit after a Phatthalung villager, identified only as Khiew, was arrested on Tuesday.
Khiew is suspected of guiding Chavalit Thongduang, 37, who escaped while serving a 20-year sentence for robbery and firearms possession, to a hiding place on the mountain.
Khiew was arrested after descending to fetch food and drinks for Chavalit.
Police said he confessed to leading Chavalit to a spot on the eastern side of the mountain range about 6 kilometres from Ban Tra village Trang on the border with Phatthalung’s Tamode district.
Khiew told police that Chavalit was armed with three pistols.
The spot is several hours from the nearest road and is only accessible on foot.
Chavalit escaped from Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital in the early hours of October 22 after apparently faking an illness.
He was not due for release until 2043.
Chavalit is also wanted for narcotics trafficking, money laundering and murder but has reportedly evaded these cases thanks to help from a powerful Phatthalung politician.
Police have arrested seven people who allegedly helped Chavalit escape while obtaining arrest warrants for two Nakhon Si Thammarat prison guards suspected of aiding his flight from justice.
Earlier, the Corrections Department offered a 10,000-baht reward for information leading to his recapture.
