Police Capture 'Straw Hat' Thief Who Stole 198 Grams of Gold Near Chiang Rai Border

Police Lieutenant General Nopsil led a team to capture the 'Straw Hat' gold thief who stole 198 grams of gold after fleeing to the Chiang Rai border. The suspect was caught using a firearm to rob a gold shop inside a shopping mall in the Sukhumvit area under Phra Khanong police jurisdiction. The theft involved approximately 198 grams of gold and 170,000 baht in cash, with total damages exceeding 10 million baht. Police had been pursuing the suspect for over three weeks, tracking their movements and disguises. On February 19, 2024, the team captured Jalo Kuikaew, 29, at a black-clad checkpoint near Mae Sruai Dam in Chiang Rai, just before he was set to escape to a neighboring country. The suspect confessed to the crime and is currently being interrogated before being transferred to Phra Khanong police station for prosecution.