A seventeen year old Chinese youth is in custody after he stole from a taxi driver who he had hired to take him from Chiang Mai to Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai. 
 
The teen used a knife and a box cutter.


 
The arrest featured a chase through downtown Chiang Saen after a long and convoluted taxi ride across northern Thailand. 
 
The drama began at a condo in Chiang Mai when Wang, 17, asked to be taken to Chiang Saen. He paid 2,000 baht upfront and agreed a fare of 3,500 baht with army reservist driver Bunpleng Ayu-yeun, 55. 
 
When they got to Chiang Saen at 4 pm they had to wait the best part of an hour for a friend to arrive with the remainder of the fare. He didn't show.
 
Wang then asked the driver to take him to Mae Sai where he said he would cross to Takchileik. He changed his mind and they went back to Chiang Saen. 
 
On the way Wang produced a knife and box cutter and took 4,100 baht from Bunpleng who drove on.
 
Back in Chiang Saen they stopped at a convenience store with the thief getting out and taking the ignition keys with him. He went to buy food and a drink.
 
Then, as they were passing the police station at 9 pm, Bunpleng alerted a man he thought was a cop sitting out side - it turned out to be Pol Maj Mangkorn Saenma.
 
Bunpleng wound the window down and said he had been robbed. The suspect fled and Maj Mangkorn along with Sen Sgt Maj Wirat Palama gave chase.
 
Aided by members of the public they soon had the suspect in custody in a soi by a hospital. 
 
He has been charged with robbery and detained. 
 
Source: Thai Rath