BANGKOK — Police said Wednesday a request for the arrest of the Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya was already issued by the Interpol, although such notice could not be found on the network’s database as of Wednesday.
Assistant national police commissioner Jaruwat Waisaya showed what he said to be a copy of the Interpol Red Notice to reporters during a news conference Wednesday. He said the notice was already circulated to all the member states of Interpol, but it would take some time for it to be publicly published on the agency’s website.
“The Interpol has already issued the Red Notice,” Lt. Gen. Jaruwat said. “We have contacted Thai ambassadors, police attachés, and police networks worldwide to help locate his whereabouts and bring him to trial. The notice may not be publicly visible at the moment since it’s the Interpol’s system, but we have already received it.”
Vorayuth is wanted in Thailand for hitting and killing a policeman with his Ferrari in 2012. Police said the Interpol Red Notice would notify law enforcements around the world to locate and detain Vorayuth for an extradition back to Thailand.
A search by Khaosod English on the Interpol’s public database found no mention of Vorayuth as of Wednesday afternoon. The previous Red Notice was issued against him in 2017, though it was withdrawn without explanations months after it was posted.
According to the document shown by police, the heir to the Red Bull energy drink empire appears to hold only Thai passports.
Lt. Gen. Jaruwat also said compliance with Interpol Red Notices is entirely voluntary.
“It depends on the cooperation of foreign police forces,” Jaruwat said. “It’s not a warrant to arrest, but it’s just a notice.”
Police renewed their effort to locate Vorayuth following a controversial decision by the prosecutors in July to drop all the charges against him on the grounds that they lacked evidence.
Fresh charges were only reinstated by a court in August amid public outrage about perceived impunity of Thai elites.
Vorayuth’s whereabouts are currently unknown.