Thai man on a motorbike stopped a German Thai couple on the road from Lamai beach in the east of Ko Samui to Mae Nam in the north on June 5th last. It was at a quiet and remote section of the road. After the couple refused his demand to hand over valuables in their possession, he brutally stabbed the 60 year old German man in the left shoulder. He later absconded with ฿30,000 in gold. Thai police successfully tracked down the culprit this week. A reenactment of the crime was then staged. A 27 year old Thai man is facing serious criminal charges while being held in custody by police on the paradise island. Thai police are reported to be concerned that the man turned out to be a hotel employee.
Good police work led Thai police on Ko Samui this week to arrest a particularly dangerous villain who on June 5th became a helmeted motorcycle robber who targeted a German Thai couple on the road from Lamai beach on the east coast of the island to Mae Nam in the north. The highway robber forced a German man and his Thai wife to halt on the road. He then challenged them to hand over their valuables. When the German man refused, he was viciously stabbed in the left shoulder with a knife. Tracked down within a week by Thai police on the island, they were shocked to discover the Thai man’s double life as a violent highway robber disguised with a motorcycle helmet and then his role as a trusted hotel employee in the southern Na Muang area of the island.
Thai police have arrested a man in connection with the road robbery a German tourist and his Thai wife on Wednesday June the 5th. The 60 year old German who has not been named in the news reports, was riding a motorbike with 56 year old Yong Noiphrom, his Thai wife, when the couple were attacked by a 27 year old Thai man also riding a motorbike and partially disguised with motorcycle helmet.
German Thai victims of violent highway robbery on Ko Samui thank the Thai police this week
The victims of the crime have this week publicly thanked the Royal Thai police on Ko Samui both for their quick detection and arrest of the man who attacked them and for the return of the property stolen from the Thai woman. The arrested man was named as 27 year old Nanthanon Noowan. The culprit will now face the full rigour of the law for what was a very serious and violent crime against the tourist and his Thai wife. The man is now being held in the custody of the police in on Ko Samui. He has been charged with robbery with a knife while using a conveyance. He is also charged with the aggravated assault of the German man.
Highway robber on a motorbike absconded with gold to the value of ฿30,000 on June 5th last
The couple who were the victims of this appalling crime, were driving on the Waterfall road that runs from Lamai to Mae Nam when the violent attack occurred. The elderly German was stabbed by the robber in the left shoulder who came up behind them on his motorbike as the couple were touring the island. The man absconded with a gold necklace and bracelet after the assault on the German man. The assault left the road covered with the German man’s blood although he was not seriously injured and later drive away from the scene of the crime with his Thai wife unaided. The necklace was of one baht value and the bracelet was a half baht. Both items have been valued at ฿30,000.
Blood stains on the road left as German man was stabbed with a knife during the ordeal
Following the knife attack last week, the German man was anxious not to be photographed or have his identity revealed. His Thai wife was more forthcoming. She was able to explain to Thai police exactly what had occurred at the scene. She also gave Thai police a very accurate description of the attacker even though he was wearing a motorbike helmet.
Police initially thought it was a recently released convict from Ko Samui prison
Thai police formed a theory, at the time, that the culprit was one of up to 100 men released from the prison on Ko Samui as part of an amnesty for the Thai monarch’s coronation in early May. However, good detective work and determination to find the highwayman who had wounded a foreign tourist with a knife, led them to an even more sinister suspect.
Thai authorities anxious to resolve this case
Thai police on the island openly admitted that they were anxious to resolve the case quickly as it involved a foreigner on one of Thailand’s most popular tourist islands and resorts. The challenge facing the police was that the incident occurred in such a remote location, something that must also have occurred to the robber.
Suspect brought back this week to reenact the crime
Police brought the 27 year old suspect back to the scenes associated with the crime this week to stage a reenactment of the crime. This was an audacious and ruthlessly violent crime despite the relatively small amount of money involved.
Highway robber forced German man and Thai wife to halt their motorbike on the quiet road
Police first brought 27 year old Nanthanon Noowan to the Mae Nam area, specifically the location of the robbery and attack. This was near a road which lead to the Bang Khunsri waterfall where the Thai man had forced the couple to halt on their motorbike. The German man was driving the motorbike with his 56 year old companion riding pillion.
German man and partner challenged to hand over valuables at knifepoint by helmeted man
Like a highway robber of old, the Thai man challenged the German man and his Thai wife to hand over their valuables. When the German man refused, the Thai man produced a knife. He stabbed the German in the left shoulder. This shocking and brutal act convinced the Thai woman to hand over her gold necklace and bracelet to the robber.
Robber then took off on his motorbike towards Lamai, a beach on the east of the island
The attacker then mounted his motorbike and fled in the direction of Lamai. He later stopped on the road to throw away the knife he had used to injure the German man. Thai police were on hand throughout this week’s reenactment. The operation was supervised by Police Colonel Boriboon Yusuksomboon.
Police shocked to find the culprit was a hotel employee in Na Muang in souther Ko Samui
Police were shocked to find that the perpetrator of this particularly dangerous crime was an employee of a local hotel in the south of the island. The hotel is located at Na Muang and this was the next destination of the culprit. Once back at the hotel, the suspect disposed of his clothes and took up his natural working routine. This was the third location of the crime reenactment this week visited by Thai police and their entourage.
Follow the money, robber brought necklace and bracelet to a gold shop in Lamai
The fourth was the location which ultimately led to the arrest of the island highway man after Thai police followed the money. It was a gold shop in Lamai where he brought the two gold items to realise cash from his criminal actions. This week, locals and tourists were intrigued to see police accompany the man as he explained his actions.
Finally captured on CCTV, German Thai coupled identified him from photo stills
Thai police obtained a picture of the robber from CCTV footage in the area. They later showed still photographs to the German Thai couple who positively identified the man. From there, the police traced the man to the hotel in Na Muang where he was employed. A warrant was issued by a local court in short order for his arrest.
It was a job well done by the Royal Thai Police in Ko Samui. It is reported that police are disturbed that the culprit turned out to be an employee of a local hotel on the island routinely dealing with foreigners and visiting tourists.
