Theerapop Suwanthada, 18, a second-year student of Thalang Technical College, reported the incident to Thalang Police immediately after the attack on Friday, which left him with a head wound requiring six stitches.
After receiving hospital treatment, Theerapop returned to Thalang Police station to file a full statement on Friday afternoon. (See story here.)
Thalang Police officers Sub Lt Sukon Kaewthongsan and Sen Sgt Maj Sombut Sangsanit on Saturday (Aug 31) took both Theerapop and Apatchada Chamapet, the young woman who was with Theerapop during the attack, to scene of the attempted abduction and to retrace their steps before the incident.
Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop, the Thalang Police officer in charge of the investigation, reported that Theerapop with Apatchada as his passenger on his motorbike had picked up a friend (no other details provided) from in front of a local grocery shop near Pakrongcheep temple, and dropped the friend off in front of the Toyota Next outlet on the northbound side of Thepkrasattri Rd, in Moo 8, Tambon Thepkrassattri.
They then stopped at a roadside sala at the entrance to Pakrongcheep Village to wait for heavy rain to stop.
After the couple had waited for about 10 minutes, a black Mitsubishi pickup truck pulled up in front of the sala and a group of masked men exited the vehicle and attempted to force Theerapop to get into the pickup.
One of the men was carrying a gun, Theerapop told police.
Theerapop resisted and tried to flee, but the man with the gun grabbed his shirt and hit Theerapop on the head with the gun, causing injury, Capt Kraisorn noted in his report on Saturday.
For reasons unknown, the men suddenly ceased their attempt to abduct Theerapop and fled the scene in the pickup truck.
The pickup was last seen heading toward Baan Pakrongcheep village, Capt Kraisorn noted.
“Police are examining CCTV footage from houses in Pakrongcheep village in the hope of tracking down the pickup truck, and the men,” Capt Kraisorn noted in his report.