April 6, 2023
BANGKOK – A 24-year-old South Korean who had overstayed his visa by more than a year was arrested after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in Chonburi province to convince relatives to send him money so that he could return home, police said on Wednesday.
Kim (given names withheld) faces deportation for overstaying his visa by 497 days and could face other charges for faking his own kidnapping, police said.
The young man’s relatives had asked the Korean Embassy in Thailand for help after Kim told them that he had been abducted, imprisoned and assaulted before escaping, police said.
He had told family members in Korea he was on his way to Suvarnabhumi International Airport but had no money, police said.
After being tipped off about a possible kidnapping, Police visited Kim’s home in the eastern province’s Bang Lamung district. When they arrived Kim fled through the backyard and tried to hide from them behind shrubs in a field.
Officers detained him and took him to the local police station for questioning.
He admitted to a Korean translator that he had not been abducted, imprisoned or harmed in any way.
His only problem was that his family had declined repeated pleas to send him money.
As a result, he told them he had been abducted, hoping this would convince them to send him money to return home.
They contacted the Korean Embassy instead.
Police are continuing to investigate the case, while the process for deporting Kim has been launched, police said.
