Thai cops rescue abducted man after he cries for help at police checkpoint

A man who was abducted by five people while he was dining at a restaurant in Thailand was rescued by the police after he called for help when the car he was in stopped at a police checkpoint.

The police were manning a drink-driving test checkpoint on Rom Klao Road in the Thai capital of Bangkok when they heard a cry for help coming from a Chevrolet car at 12.30am local time on Tuesday.

The officers then pulled the car over for an inspection, together with a Toyota car behind the Chevrolet, reported English daily The Bangkok Post.

Upon discovering the abducted man, whom the newspaper identified as Mr Uthen, 40, the police immediately arrested the five kidnappers who were travelling in the two cars.

Six guns and 61 rounds of ammunition were also seized from the two vehicles.

Mr Uthen said he was eating at a restaurant when two men with guns approached him and forced him to get into their car.

He said he knew one of the men but insisted that he did not know the others and had no prior dispute with any of the five.

Mr Uthen told the police that the men dragged him into their car, while threatening to kill him.

Police officer Jamorn Thongphan told The Bangkok Post that upon questioning, the suspects admitted knowing the victim but refused to reveal the reasons behind the abduction.

He said the police will charge the five men for illegal possession of weapons.

He added that Mr Uthen’s relatives have filed a police report against the suspects, accusing them of assault and illegal detention.