Swedish man arrested in Phuket over alleged rape of fellow tourist
Police arrested a Swedish man at a hotel in Phuket for the alleged rape of a woman from the same country, following a complaint filed earlier this week.
The arrest was confirmed on Wednesday, February 5, after officers from Patong Police Station tracked down the suspect at a hotel on Na Nai 8 Road in Kathu district, Phuket. The 32 year old Swedish man was taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
The case came to light after a 26 year old Swedish woman filed a formal complaint with Patong Police Station on February 1. She reported that she was raped at a hotel in the Patong area on January 31 by a Swedish man whom she met only briefly.
According to the victim’s statement, she encountered the suspect outside a convenience store near Soi Khlong Bangwat at around 5am on the day of the incident. The two spoke for approximately five minutes before she agreed to accompany him to his hotel room.
The woman told police that the man sexually assaulted her immediately after they arrived at the room. She said she attempted to escape but was threatened with harm if she tried to leave. Despite the threats, she eventually managed to get away from the suspect and fled the hotel.
She then returned to her own accommodation and later went to Patong Police Station to report the incident. Police subsequently sent her to Patong Hospital for a medical examination, where a medical certificate was issued as part of the evidence in the case.
After reviewing the victim’s testimony and collecting forensic and circumstantial evidence, police launched an investigation that led to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
The Swedish man has been charged under Section 276 of Thailand’s Criminal Law for committing rape by using violence or taking advantage of another person’s inability to resist. The offence carries a penalty of between four and 20 years’ imprisonment, along with a fine ranging from 80,000 to 400,000 baht.
Following the arrest, Thai netizens and commentators online urged both tourists and locals to exercise caution, particularly when meeting strangers and visiting private accommodations with people they barely know, especially during late-night hours.
The case follows another rape arrest in Bangkok yesterday, February 4, in which a taxi driver was taken into custody after assaulting a female passenger who was intoxicated.
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