2-6-2023 (BANGKOK) In the district of Si Sawat, Kanchanaburi, a national park employee has been arrested and charged after allegedly assaulting a Lithuanian woman and attempting to rape her near a garbage dump. The suspect, Pramote Khongkham, 24, who was employed on a temporary contract by Erawan National Park, reported to the Si Sawat police station on Thursday to acknowledge the indecent assault charge, according to Pol Maj Pakornkiart Shinathet, the station’s investigation chief.
Following the incident, Erawan National Park terminated Pramote’s employment on Friday and has urged the police to take severe measures against him. The victim, Evilija Grabauskaitem, 27, accompanied by tourist police and an interpreter, filed a complaint with the police on Thursday afternoon. She had visible bruises on her body and accused Pramote of assaulting her. Providing video footage and photos of the incident, she guided the officers to the location where the assault took place, as revealed by Pol Maj Pakornkiart. The police collaborated with Erawan National Park chief Prawat Phuangthong to gather more details about Pramote, who later turned himself in to the police on Thursday evening.
During the interrogation, Pramote explained that he noticed the woman near the national park’s signpost while riding his motorcycle to buy candles from a nearby shop. When he returned, he encountered her in the same area and honked his bike’s horn as a friendly gesture. Surprisingly, the woman followed him on her motorcycle. According to Pramote’s statement, he advised her not to follow him when he entered a forested area, but she seemed to misunderstand him.
The suspect admitted to the police that he initially had an urge to rape her. However, he changed his mind after she fell down. Pramote claimed that he then escorted her out of the forest and apologized for his actions. While acknowledging his fault, he denied assaulting her but admitted to pulling her hands.
The investigation revealed that the suspect had parked his bike near a garbage dump before leading the woman into a nearby forested area. There, he allegedly used force in an attempt to rape her, but she resisted and managed to escape.
Currently, the suspect is in police custody, awaiting further legal action.
