Second man charged in train rape-murder

PHUKET: Police have charged a second State Railway of Thailand employee over his alleged involvement in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl on an overnight train to Bangkok.

After the interrogation of a 19-year-old train worker by Prachuap Khiri Khan police chief Maj Gen Thanes Sunthornsuk, an informed source reported that the teenager confessed that he was drinking with Wanchai Saengkhao, 22, when he learned of his plan to attack the girl.

Train cleaner Wanchai earlier confessed to raping and killing the girl. It is expected that forensic and DNA test results will be available in two days to determine whether Wanchai acted alone.

Police charged the 19 year old with aiding an offender who raped a minor aged under 15 and with giving false testimony to police in a bid to help another person escape punishment. He was sent to Prachuap Khiri Khan Prison yesterday.

This is contrary to a previous report that stated that the man had provided useful information during his initial police interrogation and would be a witness.

Police will re-interview other cleaners who worked on the train the day of the murder.

Thanongsak Pongprasert, head of SRT’s routes and schedules division, said that the second-class women-only sleeper carriage was for accompanying children as well. The carriages will be re-implemented on all overnight trains within 15 days.

A 2001 “Lady Car” project to operate women-only sleeper carriages from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was launched. However, it was quickly scrapped on the grounds it was not popular with passengers.

Mr Thanongsak said a ban of alcohol sales at stations and on trains came into effect yesterday.

Mr Thanongsak said that other long-term measures to be implemented included having railway police guards on all overnight trains, getting recruitment companies to ensure SRT workers were qualified and making workers submit to a drug test every three months.

The SRT will also require new employees to undergo a mental-health examination along with a physical.

Signs at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Train Station announcing the alcohol ban were posted around the station and on all trains.

— The Nation