Homeless man arrested for brutal assault on Cha-am Beach

Police arrested a homeless man for a brutal assault on a sub-district chief while the victim was resting on Cha-am Beach in the southern province of Phetchaburi. The victim remains in critical condition at a hospital.

A 23 year old Thai woman, Wissuta Wannathippakorn, sought justice for her father, 58 year old Sommart Wannathippakorn, by sharing the story with news agencies. She expressed concern that the attacker might evade arrest due to broken CCTV cameras at the scene.

Wissuta recounted the incident to KhaoSod saying she, her father, and other officials from the Bang Phai Sub-district Administrative Office in Nonthaburi province came to a hotel on Cha-am Beach on April 25 for a seminar.

Wissuta explained that she tried asking her father about the whole incident and learned that he went out of the hotel to enjoy the beach vibes at about 10am. He sat on a beach chair to take photos and videos of the sea and then fell asleep. He later awoke with severe injuries and did not know what had happened to him.

According to Wissuta, the attacker stole her father’s mobile phone and 400 baht in cash. Her father’s condition is critical, with injuries including a fractured facial bone, broken nose, swollen head, broken teeth, and a brain bleed.

Many Thai netizens initially suspected the owner of the beach chair vendor might be responsible, due to previous reports of similar assaults.

Officers from the Cha-am Police Station tracked the stolen phone’s signal, leading them to a local mobile phone shop. The shop owner informed police that he had bought the phone from a homeless man.

After reviewing security cameras, officers successfully identified the attacker as 35 year old Chaowarit Thanawaratorn. He was arrested on Jao Lai Road near the scene of the crime.

Chaowarit confessed that he was picking recyclable trash on the beach and noticing Sommart sleeping on the beach chair. He searched Sommart for valuables. Then, Sommart woke up, prompting Chaowarit to repeatedly strike him with an iron rod found nearby.