Thailand: Authorities investigating the kidnapping of Chinese national in Bangkok as of April 18

Event

Thai authorities are investigating the kidnapping of a Chinese national in Bangkok as of April 18. The kidnappers reportedly abducted the victim at his condominium at around 19:00 April 14, placed him in a plastic box, and transported him to Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The perpetrators, who included the victim’s former girlfriend, demanded a ransom of THB 4 million and released the victim April 15 after receiving payment. Officials have reportedly arrested all six suspects involved in the incident.

Context

The incident is unlikely to indicate a heightened general threat for most foreigners in Thailand; the overall threat of kidnapping in the country remains low. The April 14 abduction appears to be a targeted incident rather than a random act, as one of the perpetrators was reportedly the victim’s former girlfriend. Kidnappers in Thailand are more likely to target locals, particularly in the insurgency-affected Deep South region. Nevertheless, foreign nationals may be targeted due to their perceived wealth. The most common types of abduction in Thailand include basic opportunistic kidnap-for-ransom, high-net-worth individual kidnap-for-ransom, and political kidnapping. Victims are usually released unharmed and relatively quickly, though they could face the threat of injury or death during confinement.