THB100,000 bounty offered for Hat Yai gold shop robber

The Provincial Police Region 9 has announced a 100,000 baht bounty for information leading to the capture of a lone gunman who robbed a gold shop in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province on Tuesday (April 8), making off with over 7 million baht worth of gold.

Local police were alerted to the robbery at 11:55 a.m. at the Thai Udom 2 gold shop, located on Montri 1 Road in the heart of downtown Hat Yai. Shop clerks reported that the gun-wielding, masked robber seized approximately 2.25 kg of gold jewelry, valued at over 7 million baht, from the display cabinets before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.

No one was injured during the robbery, according to Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chaloemsri, chief of Region 9 Police.

Authorities later found the abandoned motorcycle on the side of Sang Sri Road, about 300 meters from the shop. Officials suspect the robber changed clothes there in an attempt to blend in with the public.

After reviewing CCTV footage, investigators identified the suspect as Yee Bun Long, 61, a Malaysian national who also goes by several aliases, including the Thai name Anucha Saeyeoh.

Piyawat revealed that Yee Bun Long had previously robbed a gold shop in Hat Yai in 2017 and was released from prison about a year and a half ago.

On Tuesday, the Songkhla Provincial Court issued a warrant for Yee Bun Long's arrest on charges of armed robbery, among other offenses.

Police believe the suspect is still hiding in Songkhla and has not crossed the border into Malaysia.