Sitting from left, Anuwat Wat-Onn, 32,
Wichen Jaija, 35, and Thongchai Jandee, 20, have been arrested on rape
and robbery charges. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)
Theerarak Suthathiwong
An accused murderer, a Pattaya jet ski vendor and a third man have
been arrested for allegedly kidnapping, robbing and raping two Russian
women Christmas night.
National and local Royal Thai Police officials anxious to wrap a case
potentially disastrous to Thailand’s lucrative Russian tourism trade
announced the separate arrests of Wichen Jaija, 35, Thongchai Jandee,
20, and Anuwat Wat-Onn, 32, Jan. 3. Wichen is wanted on homicide charges
in Kamphaeng Phet while Anuwat works in Pattaya’s much-maligned jet-ski
rental industry.
In addition to kidnapping, rape and robbery offenses,
all the suspects were slapped with drug-use charges.
More than 50 police officers were needed to protect the suspects as
angry crowds surrounded the Jan. 3 re-enactment of the alleged crimes in
Huay Yai and on Pratamnak Hill.
Suspects were forced to show how they allegedly used a shotgun and knife
to abduct the two 30s-age Russians from Pratamnak Soi 2 early Dec. 26
and transport them to a shack near the Channok Reservoir where they were
sexually assaulted.
During the arrests, police seized a shotgun, knife, 12 rounds of
ammunition, bag, mobile phone, seven Singapore dollars, 1,320 baht, a
gold necklace, 51 keys and a dark blue Toyota Mighty-X truck.
During the re-enactment, Wichen and Thongchai confessed they had hauled
the women from the truck and raped them while Anuwat stood watch.
Anuwat, who said this was his first offense, claimed Wichen and
Thongchai appeared at his house on Thepprasit Soi 5 with drugs, then
suggested they cruise Pattaya. After spotting the Russians, who were on
the way back to their hotel after a night partying on Walking Street,
Anuwat said the initial plan was only to rob the pair. However, he said,
Wichen insisted on raping them.
News of the case exploded across Russia and Europe, giving the “Land of
Smiles” another black eye the same week a British tourist was shot and
killed on a resort beach in Koh Phangan. Russians now rank as Thailand’s
top non-Asian tourist group and the case could have proved calamitous
for the industry if it remained unsolved.
Victor Khreventshop, deputy senior consul for the Russian embassy, along
with a Thai Chonburi-based consultant, thanked provincial police
commander Maj. Gen. Khatcha Thatsart for the quick arrests, presenting
police with flowers.
Investigators credited a large number of witnesses and copious amounts
of closed-circuit television camera footage along the escape route with
facilitating the arrests. Police initially tracked the truck to Wichen’s
East Pattaya home, arresting him at a minor wife’s house in
Chachoengsao. The other two suspects were arrested a day later.
