KOH PHANGAN — A 33-year-old local man on an island best known for its beach parties was arrested on Monday evening for raping a foreign tourist, police said.
Rewat Harnsupan was apprehended a day after he assaulted a Norwegian tourist who was leaving the popular “half moon party” on Phangan island, according to police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen.
Police said Rewat approached the victim on a motorcycle as she was walking alone on a track at night. He proposed giving her a ride to her hotel, but ended up assaulting her in a wooded area.
Rewat confessed to the charges, local police told the media. Police have scheduled a formal news conference to take place at 10am on the island.
Sexual attacks on foreign tourists appear to be the rise recently. In the month of April alone, attacks were reported on Phi Phi and Pattaya islands. Another tourist was also assaulted in Bangkok’s old town in December.