A convicted thief pardoned last month in an act of royal goodwill has been arrested again for allegedly snatching gold chains.
Ekalak Chaemchoi, 21, was apprehended Sept. 14 following a protracted chase after he and an accomplice allegedly stole a half-baht weight necklace and amulet from Jatupon Krataiwongjan, 27, in Naklua. Police still are searching for the second man.
Police inspect the tattoos on suspected snatch thief Ekalak Chaemchoi.
Police said Ekalak confessed to snatching the chain while the victim was riding a baht bus on Soi Kitty Car Care after midnight. He said he was just released from prison last month following a Mother’s Day pardon from HM the Queen. He had been serving time in Rayong for necklace thefts in 2010.
Ekalak said he stole the necklace because he had no money after getting out of prison and he needed to pay for schooling for his girlfriend. He told police his accomplice, identified only as “Bank” had also been pardoned Aug. 12 and they had committed two similar crimes together the day of their arrest.
The suspect was corralled by police volunteers after a chase from Naklua through side streets and on Sukhumvit Road, ending only after Ekalak crashed is motorbike into a volunteer’s.
