Thai Police Arrest U.S. Rape Suspect Thomas Andrew Erickson

Thomas Andrew Erickson, 47, who is also known as Andrew McLean or Barry Stewart, was nabbed in Samut Prakan while in possession of fake US and British passports.

Central Investigation Bureau acting chief Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri announced Erickson’s arrest yesterday. Prawut said, US authorities alerted authorities that Erickson had fled to Thailand to avoid arrest related to sexual and physical assaults.

After learning that the US had already revoked Erickson’s passport, police also learned that a jewellery shop assistant in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district had lodged a complaint against Erickson in early 2011 over an alleged rape and attack that left her seriously injured.

While he was the run, Erickson used his fake passports to apply for English teaching in different schools including Sarasas Witaed Romklao School in Bangkok, Saint Joseph’s Bangna School, Udomsuksa Rangsit School and two others in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

In forged documents, Erickson also went by “Andrew Gillis Mclean” and UK citizen “Barry Stuart Wolfenden.” Before his arrest, Erickson was running his own language school called “EDD” in Khon Kaen province.

Prawut said “Based on our inquiries, he assaulted many victims in Thailand, “Some victims were lecturers at famous private and state universities. These victims came to him as they wanted to improve their English skills. After the assaults, they did not lodge complaints because they felt humiliated.”