27 Year-old Former Rescue Worker Finally Arrested after Armed Standoff at Chiang Rai’s Canaan Place Hotel

 

 

CHIANG RAI – An armed standoff between a 27 year-old Thai National, Thanakorn Phermpan and Chiang Rai city police at the Canaan Place Guesthouse in Chiang Rai has ended.

Thanakorn Phermpan a former rescue worker had been held up in a hotel room with a gun refusing to surrender to police until he could see his former girlfriend, Kanokporn Khadkaew.

Chiang Rai Police said Miss Kanokporn arranged by phone for Mr.Thanakorn to meet her in person at the stadium. Upon leaving the hotel to meet Miss Kanokporn, police swooped in and wrestled Mr. Thanakorn to the ground. During the sarrest with the police his gun accidentally went off but nobody was injured.

Miss Kanokporn told Chiang Rai Police they had dated for 3-4 months before and split because Thanakorn failed to fulfill his promises and got angry fast and often scolded her.

Thanakorn had locked himself in a hotel room since Tuesday night with a loaded gun after police attempted to confront him about a car that he had rented from Lucky Co Ltd on Monday and allegedly resold it in a Myanmar border town.

On Tuesday morning, Thanakorn contacted the same company to rent another car. Office staff called police who then conducted a sting operation to lend the suspect a white Toyota Vios sedan to trace the missing car.

By Natthawat Laping