Thai police have captured an Australian man, Robert Wainwright, who is sought after in Australia for drug and weapon offenses. He was found living in Phuket on a student visa with his Australian girlfriend. Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat Sajjapan, Immigration Bureau (IB) commissioner, announced the arrest during a press briefing and mentioned that Wainwright’s girlfriend had been handling his affairs to avoid drawing attention.
On August 2, 2023, Thai police arrested a 28yearold Chinese man, Luo Zhipeng, in connection with a massive cache of smuggled, pirated goods found in a warehouse in Muang district, tambon Phraekasa, Samut Prakan province. The discovery included approximately 100,000 counterfeit items ranging from gas stoves and skateboards to hair clippers, camera bags, and table fans.
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) are intensifying their efforts against five major biker gangs operating in Thailand, following the arrest of the leader and members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Pattaya on July 21. Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn confirmed that the Outlaws MC, Hells Angels, Bandidos Motorcycle Club, Mongols Motorcycle Club, and Vagos Motorcycle Club are all being investigated. These gangs, predominantly run by Australian nationals, are involved in various criminal activities such as drug trafficking, assault, extortion, theft, loansharking, fraud, money laundering, attempted murder, and murder.
A police major general, who was a classmate of deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn, has been arrested along with eight other suspects for operating three illegal online gambling websites. The websites, RRD789, BLUE789, and SEXY789, were targeted by authorities following a complaint from a 24yearold programmer who claimed to have been abducted and assaulted by the operators.
A district chief in Nakhon Sawan, northern Thailand, was arrested on allegations of demanding bribes from a cockfighting operator. Prasit Phattanasitthicheewin, a 59yearold chief of Mae Wong district office, was arrested by a team of police led by Counter Corruption Division (CCD) commander Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankew on charges of bribery and malfeasance in office.