Thai man caught for Bangkok rape after 3 week-manhunt (video)

Police arrested a Thai man who evaded capture for three weeks after raping a 59 year old woman at an apartment in the Srinakarin neighbourhood of Bangkok.

The suspect, 38 year old Surapong, also known as Bang Pakchong, escaped arrest after sexually assaulting the victim on July 23. Surapong reportedly sneaked into the victim’s apartment and placed a pillow over her face.

Surapong demanded that the victim reveal where she kept her valuables and she complied with his order. However, Surapong was not interested in the assets. He threatened the victim with a knife and ordered her to remove her clothes.

Surapong then applied coconut oil to her body and sexually assaulted her for over two hours. He also told the victim that he liked her and watched her for a long time.

After the assault, Surapong carried the victim to the bathroom, at which point she seized the opportunity to escape. He attempted to grab her but failed due to the slippery oil on her body.

The victim filed a complaint with Phra Khanong Police Station the following day. Officers who went to the scene discovered that Surapong left his bag, containing multiple personal documents, in the victim’s room, making it easy for them to identify him.

Suspect escapes

Surapong fled Bangkok, travelling to Samut Prakan, Nakhon Nayok, and Nakhon Ratchasima, his home province. Officers rushed to his home to arrest him, but Surapong managed to escape. He returned to Bangkok and frequently relocated to avoid arrest.

An officer from Phra Khanong Police Station later spotted Surapong sleeping under a bridge near a shopping mall in the Srinakarin area, leading to his arrest on Sunday, August 11.

Surapong claimed he had a fatal disease that would kill him within the next five years, so he had evaded arrest to live out his remaining days outside of prison.

Surapong admitted to sneaking into the victim’s room on the day of the incident but denied raping her, claiming that his health condition prevented him from having sex. However, the police were not convinced by his statement.

Surapong faces two charges including:

• Section 276 of the Criminal Code: sexually assaulting another person by threatening or using violence. The penalty is imprisonment for four to 20 years and a fine of 80,000 to 400,000 baht.
• Section 278 of the Criminal Code: sexually assaulting a person aged over 15 years by threatening or using violence. The penalty is imprisonment for up to 10 years, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.

Surapong was also wanted for three previous crimes, including theft and embezzlement in Ang Thong province and a drug-related case in Nakhon Ratchasima.