The Last Suspect in the 'Pattaya Drum Murder' Caught After 4 Months on the Run, Sent to Prosecutors

After four months on the run, the final suspect in the Pattaya drum barrel murder case in Thailand, who had been under investigation while in custody following his forced extradition, was handed over to the prosecution on the 2nd.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Unit announced that they had referred Mr. A, in his 30s, to the prosecution under arrest on charges including robbery-murder, concealment of a corpse, destruction of a corpse, fraud using computers, and attempted extortion.

According to the police, Mr. A, along with accomplices Mr. B and Mr. C in their 20s, is accused of kidnapping and murdering Mr. D, a Korean tourist in his 30s, in Thailand, and concealing his body in a reservoir.

After committing the crime, he fled to a neighboring country, but was arrested in Hanoi, Vietnam on September 12 and forcibly extradited to Korea on the 24th of the same month.

The last suspect in the Drum Barrel murder case in Pattaya, Thailand, is heading to the Changwon District Court in Gyeongnam for a detention warrant hearing.
[Photo by Lee Seryoung]

Mr. A and others, who had been making a living through illegal activities in Thailand, conspired to kidnap a Korean tourist and steal money when their earnings became insufficient.

On the day of the incident, they made the victim, Mr. D, drink alcohol laced with drugs at a club in Bangkok, Thailand, and after he became intoxicated, they offered to take him to his accommodation, put him in a prepared vehicle, and headed to a reserved location where the crime was committed.

During the journey, when Mr. D protested that they were going in the wrong direction, they strangled him and beat him collectively with their fists, resulting in his death.

They then placed Mr. D's body in a prepared rubber barrel with cement, let it harden, and disposed of it in the Maprachan Reservoir in Pattaya to conceal it.

Using Mr. D's mobile phone, they transferred 3.7 million won from his account to their own and attempted to extort ransom by calling Mr. D's mother, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

Upon receiving the report, the police launched a joint investigation with the Thai police, arresting Mr. B in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province on May 12, Mr. C in Cambodia on May 14, and Mr. A in Vietnam on September 12, in succession.

Previously arrested and forcibly extradited Mr. B and Mr. C are currently in custody and are being tried together.

An official from the Provincial Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Unit stated, "Although it was difficult to investigate as the crime occurred overseas, involved multiple accomplices, and the suspects fled abroad, through cooperation with the police agencies of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam via the National Police Agency, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, we were able to apprehend all the suspects within five months of the crime."

They added, "We urge everyone to be aware of the risk of being exposed to crime while traveling abroad and to pay close attention to safety," and said, "We will continue to work closely with the prosecution to ensure that the suspects receive strict punishment."