An escaped drug suspect sparked panic in Sattahip after social media rumormongers claimed he was, in fact, a serial killer.
Jaran Simcharoen of Sriracha slipped out of police custody around 2 p.m. Sept. 22. Police made a public announcement about the jailbreak at 9:30 that night after failing to locate him.
Online sensationalists did the usual with the news and made it more than it was, saying he was an escaped killer whose whereabouts were unknown. The false rumor spread like wildfire.
Police reconfirmed Jaran was a minor drug user who broke free while being transferred to a rehab center.
