Hua Hin hotel receptionist’s boyfriend witnesses murder via video call
The boyfriend of a hotel receptionist murdered during a night shift in Hua Hin revealed that he witnessed the brutal attack live through a video call.
The victim, 35 year old Wirin, was beaten to death during a robbery at her workplace, a hotel in Soi Hua Hin 88/1, at around 3.15am on Monday, January 19.
The suspect, 36 year old Rittikorn Yingyot, repeatedly struck her with an iron bar before stealing her belongings and fleeing the scene. He was arrested the following day, January 20, while hiding in grassland near a railway track about five kilometres from the hotel.
Wirin’s colleagues told reporters they were devastated by her death, describing her as a single mother of three children who worked the night shift to support her family. They condemned the suspect for leaving her children orphaned.
According to a report by Channel 8, Wirin had recently begun dating a man named Komkrit, who said he was on a video call with her at the time of the murder.
Komkrit told the media that he and Wirin regularly stayed on video calls during her night shifts because she was afraid of working alone at night.
On the night of the incident, Wirin complained of stomach pain and took medication. She told Komkrit she was going to rest briefly and asked him to wake her at 3.10am so she could resume her duties.
Komkrit said he stayed on the call and then suddenly saw a man climb over the reception counter and strike Wirin on the head. He shouted her name repeatedly, but the call was abruptly cut. Despite trying to call her back several times, she did not answer.
He immediately rode his motorcycle to the hotel, arriving about 10 minutes later, but Wirin had already died and the attacker had escaped.
During initial interrogation, Rittikorn admitted to police that he stole two mobile phones and a black bag from the victim but lost one phone while fleeing. He said he obtained 360 baht from the robbery and spent the money on food. He also confessed to changing his clothes and hiding near the railway track until his arrest.
A 53 year old woman named Wan, identified as Rittikorn’s former neighbour, told Channel 7 that residents had long feared him. She said he frequently drank alcohol, assaulted people in the community, and displayed erratic behaviour before leaving the area last year and relocating to Hua Hin.
According to Channel 7, some of Rittikorn’s relatives urged authorities to seek the death penalty, citing his repeated criminal behaviour and the danger he posed to society.
Thailand still retains the death penalty under its laws, although the last execution by lethal injection was carried out in 2018. Many prisoners remain on death row, but no executions have taken place in recent years.
