Bolt rider arrested for raping 18 year old passenger in Pattaya
More than 10 teenagers yesterday apprehended a Thai Bolt motorcycle rider for raping an 18 year old friend while drunk in May. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were later called to detain the rapist.
Officers from Meuang Pattaya Police Station were called to arrest the rapist, 37 year old Prakob Singhplod, at a car park on Marine Road at about 2.30am yesterday, August 13. Officers arrived at the scene and found more than 10 male teenagers containing the rapist, waiting for the police.
The victim, 18 year old Bee, revealed to the police and DailyNews that the sexual assault took place on May 9 but Prakob managed to evade arrest. Bee said her friends spotted Prakob waiting for a passenger at the car park and decided to apprehend him.
Bee disclosed that on the day of the incident, she was out with a friend at an entertainment venue in Pattaya. She was heavily drunk and booked a motorcycle taxi via the Bolt application to return to her rented room in Soi Tham Samakkhi Temple.
Upon arriving at her accommodation, the Bolt rider, Prakob, offered to escort her to her room. Once she reached her room, Bee rushed into the bathroom to vomit. Prakob followed her into the room and asked for his fare.
Bee said she grabbed cash from her bag and handed it to the rider before lying on her bed due to her intoxication. Unfortunately, Prakob did not leave the room and sexually assaulted her. Bee said she attempted to fight back and escape but was unsuccessful.
Rapist apprehended
Prakob fled from her room after the assault and Bee immediately filed a complaint against him at Bang Lamung Police Station. However, the case made no progress.
Bee contacted Prakob using the contact information provided in the Bolt application and tried to lure him into meeting her so she could hand him over to the police but Prakob did not take the bait. Fortunately, her friends encountered the rapist while he was working in the area and managed to detain him.
DailyNews reported that Bee’s friends and older brother were angry with Prakob but did not physically attack the suspect. They revealed he would face legal punishment in jail.
Officers charged Prakob under Section 276 of the Criminal Law for 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.
