Viral Phuket motorcycle breast groper arrested
Chalong Police in Phuket apprehended a drive-by breast groper after his attack and the chase of a woman in Rawai earlier this month garnered significant public attention.
Chalong Police Chief, Police Colonel Ekarat Plaiduang, announced the arrest today, July 12, confirming that officers detained a 23 year old Myanmar national Aung Ko Phyo yesterday. The arrest followed a thorough investigation.
As part of the arrest, police confiscated a black Honda motorcycle used during the offence, as well as the yellow T-shirt and green shorts worn by Aung at the time of the assault. He was subsequently taken to Chalong Police Station for further legal proceedings.
The incident became widely known after a series of social media posts urged the public to provide any information that could lead to the perpetrator’s capture, reported Phuket News.
Original story: Thai man wanted for groping woman’s breasts on motorcycle
A Thai woman urged netizens to help her locate a man who groped her breasts while she was travelling on a motorcycle with her friend in Phuket on Tuesday.
The victim took to social media to share the story, saying it happened around 9.30pm on Tuesday, July 9, near the SuperCheap grocery store in Soi Kok Makham, Rawai sub-district, Phuket. The suspect was an Asian man aged between 25 and 30 years old and approximately 160 to 175 centimetres tall.
The man was reportedly riding a white and red Honda Wave motorcycle. He approached the victim while she was a passenger on her friend’s motorcycle and reached out to grope her breasts.
The victim screamed, prompting her friend, who was riding the motorcycle, to slow down and inquire about the incident. The victim pointed at the suspect, who was escaping in a different direction.
The rider shouted at the man, causing him to make a U-turn and ride straight towards them. Fearing that the man would attack them, the rider sped up and parked at a 24-hour laundry shop, which was safe due to the presence of many people. The man did not follow them there.
The victim said they rushed home and planned to report the incident to the police the next day. They felt both angry and scared as they did not expect that the sexual assault they saw on the news would happen to them.
The victim and her friend warned others, especially women travelling alone, to be wary of this man. The situation could have been worse if he had threatened them with weapons or pulled them off the motorcycle.
They added that the suspect had an emotionless face and looked as though he was drunk or high on drugs. They urged anyone who had experienced the same thing or had useful information to contact them for further legal action against the perpetrator.
Another Thai woman shared her similar experience in the comment section saying police ignored her case even though she could remember the registration plate of the suspect’s vehicle. According to the woman, police gave her the man’s location and asked her to check on him by herself.
