American woman falls off cliff while fleeing assaulter

PHUKET: An American tourist fell into a crevice off a 45-meter-high cliff at Railay Bay, Krabi while trying to save herself from sexual assault late Thursday night.

The suspect, named Apai Ruangwong, 28, admitted to the attempted assault when police questioned him. He was also the one who notified the authorities for help.

The 23-year-old woman, whose name is being withheld, received injuries to her spine and was unable to walk when rescue workers found her the next day.

“We received reports of the incident at about 11pm on Thursday,” said Nitipat Mongkolpradit, director of the Krabi Rescue Center. “We initiated a search but could not find her, so we waited till the next morning and found her about 15 meters from the sea.”

“The victim was first taken to Krabi Hospital and later transferred to Bangkok Hospital in Phuket for treatment yesterday,” Ao Nang Police Superintendent Piyapong Boonkaew told the Phuket Gazette.

“Mr Apai said that he had known the victim for a day. He volunteered to walk her to her place, but couldn’t stop himself from touching her inappropriately. The victim was frightened and ran away to escape him,” Lt Col Piyapong explained.

Mr Apai was charged with obscene behavior toward another person and causing serious injury.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong