PUBLISHED : 4 Oct 2024 at 12:50
A manhunt is currently in progress for Santi Jae-arlee, a former boxer, who escaped arrest after breaking into a residence on Soi Inthamara 29, located in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district, on Thursday night.
The armed intruder managed to elude capture while two brothers were successfully rescued from the home.
Santi, aged 39, entered the residence where a woman and her two sons were present, during which he discharged his weapon, inciting a swift police response.
The two brothers, ages 30 and 31, both medical professionals, were eventually rescued following an overnight standoff, while their mother had escaped earlier, according to Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, acting national police chief.
As police arrived at the scene, the suspect fled through a ventilation shaft and scaled the back wall, as noted by Pol Col Phuwadol Ounphor, head of Bang Sue police station.
Initial reports erroneously suggested that children had been taken hostage; however, no children were present in the home
Officers are analyzing footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for insights into Santi’s escape route.
Santi, also known as “Ritthidet Maimuangkhon” from the Muay Teedet 99 boxing camp, has a documented history of drug addiction and criminal activity, which contributed to his exit from the camp five years ago.
In a related incident, his wife, Potjanee, caused a disturbance at an abandoned building near Sutthisan intersection, expressing distress and threatening self-harm after becoming aware of her husband’s situation.
Police spent over two hours de-escalating the situation with her. Subsequently, she fled the location, initially taking a police officer hostage at gunpoint and compelling him to drive towards Wang Noi district in Ayutthaya province.
Potjanee surrendered to authorities around 5:50 AM on Friday, visibly upset and suffering from foot injuries caused by broken glass at the abandoned site. An ambulance was dispatched to transport her to the Police General Hospital for medical attention.
