Immigration Police Rescue Chinese Student From Pattaya Kidnappers
Thai Immigration Police rescued a 19-year-old Chinese student from a Pattaya hotel within 30 minutes after he was abducted by a call center gang demanding a 10 million baht ransom and threatening to cut off his arm. The operation followed urgent coordination from Chinese police after the student's parents in Australia received a ransom demand via WeChat. Immigration Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Noppadol Poolsawat praised the rapid response as a model for transnational crime prevention.
In a cross-border operation, Thai Immigration Police rescued a Chinese student who had been threatened with amputation and held for a 10 million baht ransom. On November 14, Pol Lt Gen Noppadol Poolsawat, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, ordered a rapid response team to Pattaya, Chonburi, after receiving an urgent request from Chinese police to assist Abi Xian, a 19-year-old Chinese national believed to have fallen victim to a call center scam that lured him to Thailand before his captors demanded ransom from his family and threatened to cut off his arm if they did not pay.
The operation was commanded by Pol Col Thanit Thaiwacharamas, Deputy Immigration Commissioner; Pol Col Sarawut Khonyai, Commander of Immigration Division 1; Pol Col Thongprot Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Bureau 3; and Pol Col Decho Sosuwankul, Commander of Immigration Bureau 5. The team traced the student's location and extracted him safely within just 30 minutes of receiving the coordination request.
Pol Lt Gen Noppadol revealed that around 11:00 AM the same day, the student's parents, who reside in New South Wales, Australia, received a six-second video clip from their son. In the clip, he said, "Dad, Mom, today is November 14, I am safe now," but the family noticed something amiss, as if someone was standing nearby directing his words. By 1:00 PM, an unknown person used the student's WeChat account to demand 2 million yuan (approximately 10 million baht), giving a two-hour deadline and warning that the student would be in danger if they did not pay. The parents, fearing for their son's life, stalled by claiming they could not raise the money that quickly. The kidnappers extended the deadline to 24 hours but escalated the threat, saying they would cut off the student's arm if the money was not paid. Soon after, the family lost contact via WeChat and phone.
The family immediately reported the incident to Chinese police, who discovered the student had entered Thailand on November 13. Chinese police urgently coordinated with Thai Immigration Police for assistance.
Upon receiving the information, Pol Lt Gen Noppadol elevated the case to an emergency mission, dispatching a rapid response team to Pattaya to verify information and trace the hideout. They found the Chinese student inside a hotel and brought him out safely.
Pol Lt Gen Noppadol praised all immigration officers involved for rescuing the victim within 30 minutes, reflecting their readiness and proactive approach under a policy that aims to make immigration police more than just border checkpoint officers but a key force in preventing and suppressing transnational crime, capable of immediate emergency response. He emphasized that immigration police must stay ahead of criminals, not wait for losses to occur, and prioritize the safety of both citizens and foreigners to build confidence in Thai law enforcement internationally.
