PATTAYA, Thailand – Police are urgently investigating a mystery after a Chinese woman claimed she was deceived and assaulted in the woods – torching grass in an attempt to silence her.
Police officers from Nongprue Police Station rushed to the scene after receiving reports that a young Chinese woman had been lured and assaulted in the forest behind Siam Country Club Golf Course, near Highway 2081 in Pong Sub-District, east Pattaya.
Upon inspecting the site of the incident, officers found themselves in a grassy area adjacent to a cassava field, roughly 400 meters from Highway 2081. The surroundings were dark and devoid of streetlights, with a fire having scorched the grassy expanse, spanning over 70-80 meters in width.
The victim, identified as Ms. Menglin, a 29-year-old Chinese national, was discovered alongside a male companion believed to be her brother, named Chen, aged 19. Ms. Menglin displayed signs of distress, with her hair dishevelled and wrists bearing marks indicative of being bound.
Ms. Menglin recounted the traumatic event, explaining that she and her brother had hitchhiked along Route 331. Two Thai men on motorcycles offered them a ride, but a dispute between the motorcycles led to chaos. The Thai man accompanying Ms. Menglin led her into the forest, where he tied both hands and attempted to assault, but failed.
He then smeared lotion all over her body as if to try to destroy his fingerprints, and then poured oil around the grass before lighting the fire to trap her in the flames. After that, the culprit fled, leaving her sitting amidst the flames. She admitted that she was very scared at that moment, so she tried to use the fire to burn the rope tied to her wrist until the rope loosened. She contacted her brother to come and help, and also informed the authorities to come to her aid.
Upon initial investigation, Ms. Menglin displayed evident signs of anxiety and trauma. Superintendent Pol. Lt. Col. Jirasak Absang of Nongprue Police Station, along with Superintendent Pol. Lt. Col. Piyaphong Ensarn of Tourist Police Pattaya, led an on-site inquiry, questioning Ms. Menglin to gather further details.
In the pursuit of justice, authorities have outlined plans to conduct comprehensive examinations of Ms. Menglin’s injuries at the hospital. Additionally, they intend to review CCTV footage along the route described by Ms. Menglin, underscoring their commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring appropriate action is taken in the investigation.
