Kidnapper and child molester arrested after 13 years on the run

Thai authorities arrested a member of a 7-member rapist gang who kidnapped and a 16-year-old girl sexually abused in 2011. The arrest took place yesterday after a lengthy manhunt.

Today, the head of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Department (AHTD), Sarut Kwangsopa, ordered the arrest of 40-year-old Uthai. The arrest was made on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the Kanchana Buri Provincial Court in July 2011, accusing Uthai of several serious crimes.

The charges include gang rape, kidnapping of a minor under 18 and arresting a person for indecent behavior using violence. Uthai was arrested in Nong Khai province.

In 2011, the victim, identified as Pad (pseudonym), who was 16 at the time, was on her way to the bathroom in her home when a woman stopped a pickup truck outside and called out to her. As Pad approached, a group of men waiting in the vehicle forcibly dragged her into the pickup truck.

They took her to a house in Bo Phloi district, Kanchanaburi province, where they raped her. After the incident, the perpetrators fled and the victim reported the crime to Laokhwan Police Station.

Arrest warrants were subsequently issued against all seven suspects; some of them are already in custody.

Officials later discovered that Uthai, one of the suspects, had been hiding in Nong Khai province for over 13 years. They managed to arrest him yesterday.

During interrogation, the rapist denied the allegations. However, the authorities were not convinced and transferred him to Laokhwan Police Station for further prosecution.

One of the investigators expressed his confidence in the case against Uthai and emphasized the extensive evidence gathered.

The victim’s traumatic experience has had lasting effects and her quest for justice has been a long and arduous journey. Uthai’s arrest is an important step towards closure for her and her family.

The police are determined to impose the full force of the law on all perpetrators, Khaosod reported.

The case highlights the persistent efforts of law enforcement to achieve justice for victims of serious crimes, no matter how much time has passed. Uthai’s arrest after 13 years on the run is a testament to the tireless commitment of law enforcement in Thailand.

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