Thanamet Khochornna was caught at Chiang Rai airport on Thursday and later taken to Bangkok’s Hua Mak police station
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CHIANG RAI – The boyfriend of a female law student has been arrested after being accused of stubbing out a lit cigarette in her face and viciously kicking her, causing lung injuries and broken ribs, then held her prisoner for two days.
Mr. Thanamet Khochornna, 36, was caught at Chiang Rai airport on Thursday and later taken to Bangkok’s Hua Mak police station for a media briefing.
Mr. Khochornna has been charged with attempted murder, physical assault causing serious harm and illegal detention.
Pavena Hongsakula, chairwoman of the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, a senior police officer and a doctor, visit the university student who sustained serious injuries to her face, lungs and ribs after being assaulted by Thanamet.
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The arrest follows a complaint made by the mother that her daughter had been brutally assaulted by her boyfriend, Thanamet.
The mother said her daughter managed to escape when the man left the house. The young student then contacted a close friend, who took her to hospital.
Pavena Hongsakula, chairwoman of the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, contacted Pol Col Sarayut Chunnawat, chief of Hua Mak police, and officers went to interview the young woman at the hospital. A court warrant was then obtained for Mr Thanamet’s arrest.
During police interrogation, Mr Thanamet said he assaulted the university student in a fit of jealousy after learning that a foreign man had flirted with her.
He insisted he had not forcibly raped her, claiming sex was consensual. He claimed they lived together for 3-4 months. He also denied fleeing arrest, claiming he just wanted to find the money to fight the case.
The suspect apologised to the victim’s parents for his action.
Police searched his room and found a machete he allegedly used to threaten the female student. Police said they would extend their investigation as they suspected he had made similar attacks on other women.
Before the arrest, a young Chiang Rai woman contacted the Pavena foundation and said she had been keeping in touch with a bodybuilder for about one year via online chat.
The man recently told her he wanted to visit Chiang Rai and asked her to find him accommodation. She became suspicious as her online bodybuilder boyfriend looked a lot like the man in news stories wanted for assaulting a university student.
The foundation then passed the information to Hua Mak police, said Pol Col Sarayut. Chiang Rai police then cooperated in making the arrest at the airport.