Thai man wrongfully arrested after friend used his ID to evade jail
By Bryan Ke
September 19, 2023
A Thai man was wrongfully arrested after his friend borrowed his identity to avoid prison.
What started it all: The friend, only identified as Phuwadon, 25, was stopped by Thai police while driving on Aug. 30, 2020. After the police pointed out that his car did not have a license plate, Phuwadon told them that his name was Anucha and that he had forgotten his ID.
After testing positive for drugs, Phuwadon was briefly detained. His mother reportedly used a copy of the real Anucha’s ID and bailed Phuwadon out the following day. He never showed up to court following this, according to reports.
Wrongful arrest: The real Anucha was wrongfully arrested at his workplace in Bangkok on June 13. Thai authorities accused the innocent man of evading arrest for three years and took him to Bangkok Remand Prison soon after, where he was locked up for 80 days.
Anucha’s parents reportedly asked the nonprofit organization Saimai Survive for help following the arrest, stating that their son was never involved in any crimes in the past.
What happened next: Police said that after Anucha’s arrest, Phuwadon underwent plastic surgery to evade the authorities and worked as an entertainer for parties at several venues.
His release: Anucha was finally released from prison, and a video of him hugging his sobbing mother has been circulating on the internet.
Thai authorities have stated that they are now looking into how they will compensate Anucha with the help of the Ministry of Justice.
Share this Article
Share this Article
