A criminal suspect’s attempt to escape from the Criminal Court today (Thursday), with the help of someone who arranged a change of clothes for him, was foiled by police and corrections officials who captured him after he left the court building in disguise.

The suspect, Prasit Jiewkok, is on trial with eight accomplices on charges of public fraud and violations of Computer Crime Act, for allegedly operating gold futures investment, package tour and savings cooperatives schemes which promised unusually high returns. Most investors were not paid as promised, to the tune of several hundred million baht.

During the trial today, Prasit asked the court’s permission to go to the toilet on the 9th floor, where clothes had been hidden for him to change into, and out of his prison garb.

Prasit managed to escape from the building, prompting an immediate search and his subsequent arrest by police and court officials. He was charged with contempt of court for attempting to escape.

The court also ordered that CCTV in the court building to be checked to find out who had helped Prasit in the escape attempt.

Secretary to the justice minister, Thanakrit Chit-areerat, said that the Corrections Department has also ordered a probe into whether any corrections officials were involved in the escape bid.