PHUKET: Patong police have arrested a 20-year-old man and charged him with robbing a currency exchange booth of nearly 227,000 baht.
Police apprehended Seksan Wongwirat of Phetchabun's Wichian Buri district at a rented room on Soi Na Nai in Patong on Thursday, Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, assistant national police chief, told reporters yesterday.
At around 10.30pm on Feb 13, the Yes Exchange currency booth in front of the Big C Jungceylon branch in Kathu district was held up by a man with a gun.
The robber was described as tall and wore a balaclava and black gloves. He smashed a glass pane to break in through the booth's back door while Yaowalak Daengduang, 45, was working inside. The robber entered the booth and pointed a gun at Ms Yaowalak, demanding, "Where is the money? Hand it to me." He then took money in several currencies from a drawer and fled out the back door.
Police said he stole 3,418 baht in cash and foreign currencies worth 226,918 baht, and caused damage estimated at 5,000 baht.
An examination of security camera footage led investigators to the suspect.
Mr Seksan lived in a rented room about 300 metres from the scene of the crime. He left Patong beach after the robbery.
According to police, the suspect paid a taxi 8,000 baht to take him from Patong to Krabi. He paid the cabbie with 150 euros (5,490 baht) and the remainder in Thai baht. On arriving in Ao Nang, Krabi, the suspect exchanged €500 at a currency booth and then went by long-tail boat to Phi Phi Island, where he stayed overnight in a hotel.
On Feb 15, he returned to Phuket by speedboat service. From the pier, he took a taxi to Central Plaza shopping mall and exchanged more money. He bought gold jewellery and other items before returning to his rented room, where he was caught on Feb 17.
Arresting officers seized a 38 calibre pistol. They also found clothing like those worn by the robber and 96,000 baht in cash.
He was taken to Patong police station and charged with theft and illegal possession of a weapon.
