CHONBURI — Two tourists from China were raped by boat operators they hired to take them for a sightseeing trip off the coast of Pattaya, police said.
Police say the two men, Surachai Harnchoengchai and Peema Rono, assaulted the two Chinese tourists on their boat in the middle of the sea on Monday night.
The victims later reported the incident to the Chinese Embassy, which in turn contacted the police, said Police Col. Sukthat Pumpanmuang, superintendent of the Pattaya City Police Station.
Surachai, 22, and Peema, 19, were identified today as the boat drivers and arrested. They have been charged with rape.
The two men confessed that they were hired by the two Chinese tourists to take them to Koh Lan, a popular tourist destination just off the coast of Pattaya city, according to Police Maj. Piyapong Ensan of Pattaya’s tourist police.
The suspects said they drank beer as they waited on the island, and decided to sexually assault the victims on the way back, Police Maj. Piyapong said.
“After that, they dropped the victims off at Pattaya city, and they went back to work as normal, as though nothing happened,” Piyapong said. The officer added that the two suspects blame their action on the two victims’ “sexy photoshoot” at the beach which caused them to feel “sexual urges.”
Pattaya, a coastal resort town southeast of Bangkok, is known for its notorious red-light district and high rates of crime against foreigners.
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