NARATHIWAT: A massive manhunt has been launched for 16 drug convicts who escaped from a temporary prison in Tak Bai district of this southern province.
The breakout took place at around 7pm Friday from the Khok Yamoo temporary prison on the Tak Bai-Narathiwat Road in tambon Praiwan. The 122 inmates had just finished their evening meal in the prison dining hall and were bringing back their trays to be put large bowls for four inmates tasked with washing.
As a warder unlocked the iron gate for the four inmates to take the bowls to the washing area, one of the four pushed him down. Chaos then erupted, said Tak Bai police chief Patcharapol Na Nakhon, who led a team of officers to inspect the site on Saturday morning.
A group of 16 inmates, including the four, then ran to the main building in the front of the prison compound. One of them used a wooden baton to break three windows to get inside. Once inside the building, they broke open another window to escape, said the police chief.
Warders were unable to prevent the inmates from fleeing for fear of danger as the inmates were armed with wooden batons and iron bars.
Police believed the escapees might have plotted their break-out with relatives who might have parked vehicles on a road near the prison.
Pol Col Patcharapol said police and soldiers had fanned out throughout nearby areas to hunt down the inmates. All vehicles using possible escape routes were being checked.
Authorities have also coordinated with local leaders in areas where families and relatives of the inmates lived. If some inmates were hiding there, relatives would be asked to persuade them to surrender, he said.
Images of the fleeing inmates had been distributed to police and soldiers in all 13 districts of Narathiwat. So far, there have been no traces of the escapees.
The 16 inmates, all from Narathiwat, are Yaha Maming of Cho Airong district; Amphan Kotor, Faison Dueramae, Sulaiman Dorni and Daromin Jaeha, all of Muang district; Echan Jaeming, Waeng district; Saharu Sa-ou, Chanae district; Bararudeng Yusor, Maharong Hama, Abdulloh Hama, Armad Yakor, Veerayut Khongnun and Sulgiflee Yakor, all of Cho Airong; Abdulrohim Binawae Samae, Viriya Doramae and Paosan Bueraheng, all of Tak Bai.
