SURAT THANI — A burglar who robbed and slashed two 26-year-old Chinese tourists in their room on Koh Samui island has been arrested, police say.
Wutthipong Yaworn, 23, has been accused of entering a bungalow on Chaweng beach in Bo Put district and slashing two women with a knife before robbing them of their belongings. The two Chinese women were later found and sent to hospital to treat their severe injuries.
The attack took place on the night of 26 May, during the curfew imposed by the military junta after it staged a coup several days earlier.
At the police press conference today, Mr. Wutthipong confessed to plotting the burglary and stalking one of the two tourists to find a window of opportunity. He said he eventually entered the room through an open window when he was certain that the women were sleeping.
Mr. Wutthipong told police he took 100,000 baht in cash, an iPhone, and an iPad from the victims. After the robbery Mr. Wutthipong fled the popular resort island and hid in his hometown in Loei province, where police eventually arrested him.
Police say Mr. Wutthipong was identified by CCTV footage obtained from the hotel where the burglary took place.
At the press conference, Mr. Wutthipong said he merely intended to rob the two women and had no intention to sexually assault the victims. His comment was likely an attempt to avoid the fate that befell a rape suspect in Trang province this week — he was beaten to death in custody by his inmates.
Police say Mr. Wutthipong has been charged with armed burglary and carrying weapons into residential area without due cause.
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