Armed man holds children hostage as police surround house

An armed man fleeing an arrest warrant took children hostage in a house on Soi Inthamara 29 in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district on Thursday night.
The man, about 180 centimetres tall and wearing camouflage clothing, intruded into the house where an unknown number of children were staying on the second floor, said Pol Lt Col Woraphat Sujkthai, deputy superintendent at Bang Sue police station.
Police were deployed to the scene, and the suspect opened fire from the house, slightly injuring a police officer and one resident.
The Crime Suppression Division’s Hanuman special task force and officers from Bang Sue station surrounded the house.
The suspect was wanted for a theft case in an area under the jurisdiction of Taopoon police station, according to a source.
Police had tracked him down, but he fled to Soi Inthamara 29, where he climbed over the wall into the house around 7pm.
Authorities were unable to storm the house for fear that the suspect might harm those inside.
The suspect has since been identified as 38-year-old Santi Jae-arlee, a former boxer.