PATTAYA, Thailand – In the early hours of August 13, a group of ten young people subdued and detained a Bolt driver, identified as Kob (alias), after he allegedly raped an 18-year-old woman in a parking lot in South Pattaya in May of this year. The suspect was handed over to Pattaya police for further legal action.
The victim, Ms. B (alias), recounted the harrowing incident that occurred in May. “After a night out with friends, I became very intoxicated and ordered a ride through the Bolt app,” Ms. B said. “The driver, who was on a white Honda PCX motorbike, helped me to my apartment because I was in no condition to walk.”
Once inside, Ms. B vomited in the bathroom. “The driver reminded me that I hadn’t paid the fare and took money from my bag,” she explained. “I wasn’t sure how much he took, but instead of leaving, he tried to rape me. I resisted, but my intoxicated state left me powerless.” The driver eventually raped her and fled the scene. Ms. B reported the crime to Banglamung Police Station after the assault.
Ms. B later attempted to contact the driver, who admitted to the crime but avoided meeting her. With the help of her friends and older brother, she tracked him down while he was waiting for customers in a South Pattaya parking lot. “We were worried he might harm others,” Ms. B’s brother said. “So, we detained him and handed him over to the police, demanding that he face justice.” As the police took Kob into custody, Ms. B’s friends and brother looked on with visible anger but refrained from violence, placing their trust in the legal system to ensure justice for Ms. B.
