Police Division 9 chief Piyawat Chalermsi said the 61-year-old suspect acted alone and pretended to be a customer when entering a gold shop in Plaza Hat Yai at 11.50am.

“CCTV footage showed the suspect, armed with a gun, escaping with gold worth 9 million baht (RM1.17 million),” he told reporters after visiting the crime scene on Wednesday.

He said the suspect, who has a previous record of armed robbery, fled on a motorcycle.

“Police have found a motorcycle, believed to have been used by the suspect, not far from the scene of the incident, and it has been sent to the forensics team for further investigation,” he said.

Piyawat said security forces had tightened border controls to prevent the suspect from escaping.

Malaysian consul-general in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, said the Malaysian authorities are ready to cooperate with the Thai police to assist in the investigation.

“Thai authorities are confirming the identity of the suspect, whether he is indeed a Malaysian or not,” he said.