Police are still combing a forest in southern Thailand to hunt for the convict who made a daring escape from a hospital last month was reported earlier today to have been killed in an exchange of gunfire with policemen, according to a senior police officer.

Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri, chief of the Region 9 Police, said the convict, Chavalit Thongduang has fled deeper into the jungle straddling Trang, Phatthalung and Satun provinces

He said police had earlier today located Chavalit’s hideout and engaged in a gunfight.

“He fired at the police who returned fire before he managed to flee deeper into the jungle,” said Piyawat, disputing an early news report that the convict had been gunned down.

He said police later found a “war weapon” abandoned by the convict at the scene.

Chavalit, who was serving 21 years in prison on robbery and firearms charges, slipped out of Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat hospital after faking a faint.

The regional police chief said Chavalit is still believed to be heavily armed and the terrains make the ongoing manhunt difficult.