Five Thai and Malaysian suspected kidnappers of a Chinese businessman were arrested while the police investigation found that the abduction was related to a conflict over spa construction.
Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Pol Lt Gen Pakapong Pongpetra told a press briefing that five men were nabbed for allegedly kidnapping Chen Lei or Lucas from Soi Sukhumvit 39 in Bangkok on December 4.
He was forced into a car and was detained at a resort in Suphan Buri province. The abductors demanded a ransom of 15 million in exchange for his return.
The police tracked the suspects from CCTV camera footage, successfully rescued the victim and seized evidence including a laptop, smartphones and a gold necklace, worth more than 500,000 baht in total.
The businessman owns many spas in Bangkok and has a conflict about spa construction with one suspect, who is a contractor, working for him.
The abductors used his debit card to buy several items including a gold ornament. Two more Myanmar suspects are still at large.
Meanwhile, the metropolitan police chief denied rumors that four foreign women had been abducted in the area of Soi Sukhumvit 39 on Dec 8, saying it was misunderstanding. (TNA)
