Handcuffed and Gone: Phuket Police Launch Island-Wide Manhunt After Daring Escape
Phuket’s usually sleepy Wichit district was jolted awake by an eyebrow-raising incident late Friday when a drug suspect managed to slip his custodians’ grasp and disappear into the island’s nocturnal shadows—still wearing handcuffs.
Police have identified the man as 37-year-old Ex Chanaphai from Surat Thani. He was arrested in a Thalang district raid at approximately 1:17 a.m. on Friday at a residential building in Wichit. Authorities reported seizing 12 methamphetamine tablets, 0.59 grams of crystal meth, drug paraphernalia, a mobile phone and a Honda Wave motorbike during the operation.
Escape in the Dark
What followed would raise more questions than answers. During a transfer to Wichit Police Station, Thalang officers say Chanaphai suddenly pushed past his escorts and sprinted into the night while still handcuffed. “It was late at night and very dark,” Wichit deputy chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Wutthiwat Liangboonjinda told reporters. “He ran while still handcuffed, and we couldn’t see which way he went.”
The image is cinematic—and frustrating for investigators. Multiple officers were present, yet the suspect found an opening and vanished. Officials have not provided details on how he managed to slip away from more than one escort, and the matter is now part of an open criminal case.
CCTV Hunt and an Odd Reporting Delay
Officers have since turned to technology, combing through CCTV footage across Wichit and neighbouring areas to reconstruct the suspect’s route. Every alley, lane and possible escape corridor is being reviewed as part of an island-wide sweep.
Adding to the intrigue is a delay in formally lodging the escape report. The incident was not officially reported to Wichit Police until 5:01 p.m. on Saturday, November 22—more than 16 hours after the midnight arrest and subsequent flight. Deputy Thalang District Chief Chaiporn Yangchin filed the formal complaint for escape from lawful custody at that later time, and Wichit Police have registered the event as Criminal Case No. 602/2568.
What’s Being Done Now
Wichit Police say they are actively seeking an arrest warrant and continue to monitor CCTV footage in the hope of spotting Chanaphai’s movements. Officers are canvassing routes he might have taken and urging anyone who may have seen him—or who has footage or information—to come forward immediately.
Investigators are also likely to review standard procedures around custody transfers. Escapes while handcuffed are rare but not unheard of, and this case is certain to prompt internal questions about officer placement, handcuffing technique, vehicle security and the timing of transfers late at night.
Community on Alert
For now, local residents are advised to stay vigilant. If you live in Wichit, Thalang or neighbouring districts and noticed unusual activity late Friday or early Saturday, your CCTV footage or eyewitness account could be crucial. Police contact details have been circulated through local channels, and authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to reach out without delay.
Why This Matters
Beyond the immediate concern of recapturing a suspect linked to illegal drugs, the case touches on public trust and police accountability. A delayed report, a bold midnight escape and the optics of a man fleeing in cuffs make this more than a routine arrest gone wrong; it’s a story the community is watching closely.
Phuket, which balances thriving tourism with complex local issues, is no stranger to headlines. But incidents like this—equal parts puzzling and concerning—highlight the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in keeping both residents and visitors safe.
How You Can Help
- Check any home or business CCTV from the early hours of Friday-Saturday (around 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.) for unfamiliar movements.
- If you saw a man matching the description of Ex Chanaphai or a Honda Wave motorbike acting suspiciously, contact Wichit Police immediately.
- Share any relevant footage with local authorities rather than posting it publicly to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
With a warrant pending and CCTV detectives hunched over hours of footage, police hope to close the loop quickly. For now, the image of a handcuffed man dissolving into Phuket’s night will remain a vivid and unsettling reminder that even routine police work can take an unexpected turn.
If you have tips or information, contact Wichit Police—the island’s eyes and ears are turned outward as they race to track him down.
This reads like a cop comedy or a horror movie depending on your mood. How does a grown man sprint away while handcuffed with multiple officers around him? The delayed report smells worse than just incompetence.
Either they were sleeping, someone helped him, or there’s a serious chain-of-command failure. Tourists will love hearing about this, not. We deserve answers now.
Exactly — public trust erodes fast when basic custody procedures fail. If it’s negligence, heads should roll; if it’s collusion, jail should too.
Maybe the officers were outnumbered or scared, we don’t know the full context. But a 16-hour delay in filing a report is inexplicable and unacceptable. Someone’s first priority should be transparency.
Reads like he planned the great escape—maybe he knew the transfer route and timed it. Handcuffs or not, desperate people find ways. I half admire the audacity, even if I’m against drugs.
As a former officer, I can say escapes happen but this scenario raises procedure questions — cuffing technique, placement of officers, vehicle doors. The delay in reporting could be administrative, but it must be investigated thoroughly.
Thanks for that insight, Inspector Lee. If procedures failed, then it’s not just one bad apple — the whole system should be audited.
An insider’s take helps, but we shouldn’t automatically excuse the force. Procedures are in place for a reason, and community safety was jeopardized.
I live in Wichit and this is scary. How can we feel safe if someone can vanish at night still cuffed? I hope CCTV catches something and the police act fast.
Stay calm, Anna — panic spreads faster than facts. Still, check your cameras and talk to neighbors; grassroots vigilance often helps more than waiting for bureaucracy.
Good point, Neighbor99, I already checked my door camera and will share anything odd. We need to look out for each other right now.
People keep acting like the police had no chance; maybe the guy was faster, or maybe they were incompetent. Either way, it’s embarrassing for the force and bad PR for Phuket.
Beyond the spectacle, this incident should prompt a review of custody transfer protocols and oversight mechanisms. Accountability isn’t just punitive; it’s a way to rebuild public trust through systemic reform. Scholars have shown that transparent investigations reduce future misconduct.
From the frontline perspective, low-light transfers are risky and sometimes staffed by fewer officers due to scheduling. That doesn’t excuse a delay in reporting, but context matters when assigning blame.
Context is important, OfficerTom, but so is independent oversight. Internal explanations should be matched by third-party review to ensure impartiality and restore confidence.
Legally, an unexplained reporting delay could complicate chain-of-custody for evidence and weaken cases. This isn’t just optics; it has real courtroom implications.
How did he run with handcuffs? That seems impossible. Are they superheroes or just bad at their job?
Handcuffs aren’t foolproof; if they’re on the front or loose, people can bolt. Also darkness and confusion help escape attempts succeed. It’s not superhuman, just opportunistic.
Oh okay that makes sense. Still kinda scary that anyone could do that when police are there. I hope he’s caught soon.
Also remember adrenaline can make people perform weird physical feats. In a panicked sprint, surprises happen. That doesn’t absolve the officers, but it explains the physicality.
As someone who just booked Phuket for December, this makes me nervous about safety. Will incidents like this scare tourists away? The island can’t afford more bad headlines.
Tourism will weather this; Phuket has handled worse. Locals and businesses will push for rapid resolution because livelihoods depend on it.
But we shouldn’t ignore privacy either — police asking residents to share CCTV is fine, but there must be safeguards so footage isn’t leaked online and used for vigilantism.
Thanks, WichitWatcher and Sophie, that’s a relief. I just want to know that authorities take safety seriously while respecting people’s privacy.
A 16-hour delay before filing the crime? That’s not a minor clerical error — it’s cover-up territory. Either they’re hiding incompetence or protecting someone. Both are unacceptable.
Exactly my thought — where’s the transparency? The timing looks deliberate. We should demand CCTV logs and officer statements publicly.
Hold on before calling it a conspiracy. Bureaucracies are messy, and weekends or holidays can delay paperwork. Demand answers, yes, but avoid jumping to conclusions without proof.
Proof matters, Sam, but immediate skepticism keeps pressure on officials to be transparent. If we wait for evidence while they stonewall, we’ll get nowhere.
I wonder if the drugs were planted to justify an arrest and that gave him motive to escape. The system sometimes targets the poor and vulnerable to boost stats.
That’s a heavy accusation and needs more than speculation. Planting evidence happens, but we shouldn’t default to that explanation without forensic proof.
Fair point, Liu Wei, but patterns matter — when you see repeated procedural lapses you have to examine motives and incentives behind arrests.
Regardless of motive, the core issue is accountability: improve handcuffing protocols, ensure timely reporting, and make CCTV evidence available to prosecutors quickly. Fixing systems prevents both abuse and incompetence.