PATTAYA, Thailand – A dramatic escape unfolded in the early hours of June 5th, 2025, when Li Jian, a 38-year-old Chinese national wanted for fraud, fled from Pattaya City Police Station. The suspect, charged under a Pattaya Provincial Court warrant (J.78/2568) dated June 4, 2025, made a daring leap as we reported here from the second-floor interrogation room at around 1:31 a.m., escaping via Pattaya Second Road.
The incident occurred during an interrogation at the police station in Pattaya Soi 9. A deputy investigator attempted to pursue Li, jumping after him but crashing onto a marble bench, sustaining injuries after hitting the ground. Despite a valiant effort to chase the suspect, the officer lost him in the streets. Pattaya police immediately launched a citywide manhunt, mobilizing forces and reviewing CCTV footage, but Li remained at large.
In a breakthrough at approximately 7:30 p.m. on June 5th, Pattaya City Police confirmed Li’s capture at a hotel on Maharaj Road in Chanthaburi’s Talat subdistrict. The arrest followed an intensive investigation by Pattaya’s detective unit, which traced Li’s movements through CCTV footage. Authorities discovered he had hired a taxi for 4,000 baht to flee to Chanthaburi, a province bordering Cambodia, possibly intending to cross the border. Coordinated efforts with Chanthaburi Provincial Police, led by Maj. Gen. Phadungsak Raksasuk, resulted in Li’s apprehension.
Li was returned to Pattaya City Police Station at 12:46 a.m. on June 6th, appearing visibly stressed and keeping his head bowed. Pol. Col. Anek Sarathongyoo, the station’s superintendent, acknowledged the escape as a procedural failure but stressed the swift response ordered by senior commanders to recapture the suspect. He also expressed concern for the injured investigator, who had risked serious harm in the pursuit.
According to Pol. Lt. Kriangkrai Kaewphiphop, the deputy investigator involved, the escape occurred after Li, under the pretense of contacting a friend for legal assistance, suddenly bolted and jumped out of the second-floor window. Despite the officer’s injuries from the fall, he attempted to give chase but could not keep up. The fraud case involves a dispute between Li and a friend, with negotiations ongoing at the time of the escape.
Pol. Capt. Arut Saphanont, deputy chief of investigations, revealed that Li’s escape route involved multiple modes of transport. After fleeing the station, Li boarded a local songthaew (shared taxi), then switched to a motorcycle taxi, and later took another vehicle to Pattaya North. From there, he traveled to Chanthaburi’s Tha Chang area, likely aiming to flee the country. However, diligent police work, including CCTV analysis and inter-provincial coordination, led to his capture. It’s unclear where or how he got the funds for his escape.
The motive behind Li’s escape remains unclear, and further interrogations are underway to determine additional details. The incident has raised questions about security protocols at the Pattaya City Police Station, with authorities vowing to review procedures to prevent future escapes.
