South Korean tourist tortured and murdered after being taken from a Bangkok nightlife centre. Red notice international arrest alerts have been issued for three suspects. His Thai wife gave valuable testimony to the police. He had absolutely no links with crime or drugs. Dive team later discovered his remains in a plastic bin dumped in a reservoir.
Police in Bangkok, working with South Korean counterparts, have issued red notices for three suspects wanted in the torture and murder of a 34-year-old South Korean man sometime between May 3rd and 4th. The victim was a tourist, a regular visitor to Thailand with a Thai wife. 34-year-old Roh Eui Jon was ambushed by the South Korean criminal gang at the Royal City Avenue nightlife centre in Bangkok in the early hours of Friday, May 3rd. His remains were subsequently dissolved in cement inside a plastic bucket found at a reservoir near Pattaya last Saturday. Police are investigating if the man was tortured as his ten fingertips had been cut off when the remains were examined by investigators.
The Thai wife of a South Korean murder victim, found in a plastic bin, has spoken to a police task force. She told investigators that he was acquainted with the criminal gang that murdered him on May 3rd or 4th of this month.
Nevertheless, she insists that the victim in the case had absolutely no links with the drug underworld. In truth, his captors were nightlife acquaintances.
Divers made the gruesome discovery on Saturday searching within the Map Prachan reservoir near Pattaya. The body was in a black plastic bin filled with cement
On Saturday, May 11th, divers located the remains of 34-year-old Mr Roh Eui Jon. They were contained in a black plastic bin filled with concrete.
The woman explained that he knew the gang from frequenting the RCA Club centre in Bangkok.
Royal City Avenue, known in Bangkok as RCA, is the heart of the capital’s clubbing scene. Located in the Huai Khwang district, it is designated by municipal authorities as a nightlife zone.
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Details of this disturbing case have been emerging following the arrival of a task force at the Map Prachan reservoir.
At length, they arrived at the facility in the Bang Lamung district in Chon Buri on Saturday. Previously, CCTV intelligence had led police there to look for the 34-year-old’s body.
Three South Koreans wanted for the outrage. Case is being handled by a joint task force of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and Makkasan Police Station
Initial reports suggest that Mr Roh was hideously tortured or that his killers tried to conceal his identity. In short, the tips of his 10 fingers had been cut off.
It is a facet of the gruesome investigation as police try to discern whether the victim was tortured before being murdered.
At this time, three fellow South Koreans are wanted for the crime.
On Sunday, a joint police task force summit between the Metropolitan Police Bureau and Makkasan Police Station where the body was found, was convened.
The high-level meeting was led by Police Major General Noppasin Poolsawat, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
Three representatives of the South Korean Embassy were present.
In addition, the older sister of Mr Roh Eui Jon, 42-year-old Ms Noh Shinhye attended. She was joined by a cousin, 33-year-old Mr Jung Junyung.
Victim Mr Roh Eui Jon arrived in Thailand on April 30th. He stayed at a hotel in the Watthana District of Bangkok. He was due to return home on May 13th
Firstly, police established that the victim in the case was a tourist.
He had entered Thailand on April 30th and was due to return home on May 13th.
The alarm in the case was raised by Mr Roh Eui Jon’s mother in South Korea.
On Tuesday, May 7th, she received a mysterious call. She was told to pay ฿3 million or her son would be killed. The caller spoke of him throwing drugs away at a waterway.
Certainly, according to the police investigation that was opened, her son was already dead when that call was made.
Police working on the case successfully traced Mr Roh Eui Jon’s movements from his hotel in Watthana District, Bangkok from the evening of Thursday, May 2nd.
In brief, the murdered man was staying at the Ramada Hotel on Soi Ekkamai 10 in the Khlong Tan Nuea Sub District.
At length, he was intercepted within the RCA complex by the gang. Thereafter, at 2:18 am, the victim in a white T-shirt was seen being escorted from the venue. The man with him was chubby and wearing a black T-shirt.
The South Korean tourist was guided into a rented car. In short, this was a grey Honda City registration 9 KM 5674, Bangkok.
Police tracked a grey Honda Jazz rental car used to take Mr Roh Eui Jon from the RCA complex to points in Bangkok and then to a secluded Pattaya property
Subsequently, police ascertained that there were two other South Korean men in the car.
Following this, the car went to another location on Soi Sukhumvit 77.
After that, the car headed on the motorway to Pattaya. The destination was a rented house in the Map Prachan area of Pattaya, near the reservoir.
Certainly, police believe that Mr Roh Eui Jon was murdered at that property.
At length, it had been rented by a South Korean man for one week.
Significantly, there was building work at the property, including materials.
Over the weekend, a lone workman told reporters he was anxious about working there. The work had stopped when the victim was murdered as it had been rented out short term.
Firm evidence suggesting Mr Roh Eui Jon was murdered at the Pattaya rental property, his body encased in cement within a black bin and afterwards dumped
Police believe the gang may have used the same site materials and equipment to mix the cement.
Meanwhile, police noted that the gang hired a white pickup.
In addition, they made a number of trips to hardware stores. On the final trip, a black plastic bucket and rope were purchased.
Certainly, afterwards, CCTV footage showed the gang driving to the reservoir and back up to the water’s edge. The plastic bin was not on the back of the truck when it returned to the property.
Police have confirmed that two of the suspects had already flown out of the country on May 4th. One took a flight to South Korea, the other to Cambodia.
Extradition of the three suspects sought
The location of the third suspect is unknown. Undoubtedly, according to police sources, he had made his way out of the jurisdiction.
The three South Korean suspects have been named as Mr Lee Roun, Mr Lee Yong Jin and Mr Kim Hyeonng Won who has not yet been confirmed as a passenger on any outbound flight.
At the same time, the Metropolitan Police Bureau is working closely with South Korean police on this case. Interpol red notices for the suspects have been issued.
Thailand has an effective extradition treaty with the Republic of Korea.
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Further reading:
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Chinese man linked to organised crime arrested at luxury Pattaya mansion after shooting policemen
Four Chinese men arrested after hideous murder of a Chinese tourist and his wife last Monday night
Iconic 70s Bangkok comes to life again as the dark story of The Serpent wows world Netflix audiences
Another Chinese credit card scammer arrested in Lumpini by Thai police after complaints from banks
Chinese pickpockets staying in hostels as backpacker visitors targeting tourists in Bangkok
