21-2-2024 (BANGKOK) A man has been apprehended by the police for allegedly attempting to rape and rob a 29-year-old Chinese tourist near a roadside forest next to Siam Country Club in Pattaya City, Chonburi province. The incident occurred on the evening of February 18 and came to light when the victim, identified as Meilin, reported the attack to officers at Nong Prue station on Sunday.
Meilin explained that she and her brother were waiting for public transport on Sattahip-Nakhon Ratchasima Road, approximately 10 km away from the crime scene when two Thai men offered them a ride. Agreeing to go with the men to the South Pattaya area on separate motorcycles, Meilin soon realized that the man on whose motorbike she was riding had taken a different route. He then forcibly removed her from the vehicle and attempted to rape her.
Fortunately, Meilin managed to resist the assault, but the assailant proceeded to tie her hands and legs. He then stole her belongings, including 15,000 baht and 15,000 Chinese yuan, before setting fire to the surrounding grass in an attempt to destroy evidence. Subsequently, the perpetrator fled the scene.
Following an investigation, the police traced the motorcycle used in the crime to a residence in Rayong province. There, they apprehended Thip Phasiri, a 41-year-old Thai man. Meilin positively identified Thip as the individual who had attempted to rape her through a photograph.
Further examination of records revealed that the suspect may have been involved in a previous robbery in the same area. The victim in the earlier case, a caddy at a golf course in Chonburi, recounted how a man approached her while she was riding her motorcycle on the Sattahip-Nakhon Ratchasima Road. The assailant forcibly snatched her purse and kicked her bike, causing her to fall.
