CHIANG RAI – Police have arrested a 27-year-old man, recently released from prison, for attacking multiple women in Chiang Rai. He targeted a 23-year-old trainee nurse, kicking her off her motorbike late at night as she left Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital. After forcing her into nearby bushes and attempting assault twice, he fled when a passer-by intervened.
Police tracked the suspect, identified as Mr Phakphong or Tor, using CCTV footage. They located him approximately 30 kilometres from the city centre, hiding in an unnumbered house in the Lo Pa Tum village area of Doi Lan subdistrict.
Officers surrounded the property and arrested him. During the search, police found a homemade long gun and discovered he had illegal drugs in his system. Additional charges were brought for firearm possession without a permit and for using Class 1 narcotics (methamphetamine).
Mr Phakphong admitted to the latest attack, saying he had been driving to see a friend but got lost. He noticed the victim at a traffic light and followed her for about three kilometres to a quiet area, then forced her off her bike and tried to assault her. He ran away when a vehicle passed by.
He confessed to two earlier incidents. The first involved his ex-wife after an argument, and the second was the assault of a shopkeeper’s niece at a roadside hut. The incident with the nurse marks his third known offence, although he failed to complete the assault.
Mr Phakphong also revealed he had previously served over three years in prison for drug offences involving 200 methamphetamine pills, only being released in January before committing these new crimes.
The latest victim visited the police to thank them. Pol Maj Gen Manop Senakul, chief of Chiang Rai provincial police, explained that officers utilized all available resources to track the suspect, but the remote location and the absence of a visible license plate made the search more challenging. He apologized to the victim for the time it took to make the arrest.
The police chief added that Mr Phakphong may have similarly attacked other women. Anyone who has suffered an assault is encouraged to contact the authorities to help with the investigation and provide further information.
Police believe there may be other victims given the suspect’s repeated behaviour.
