Tourist lied about rape, police say
PHUKET: A 21-year-old Australian woman who reported to Kathu police that she had been raped on Sunday by three men in a tuk-tuk, confessed last night (June 14) that she had lied about the incident, police say.
Paritta Wangkiat
Friday 15 June 2012, 11:00AM
Police were convinced that the reported rape (see earlier story here) had not taken place, because CCTV camera footage showed no evidence of her being taken in a tuk-tuk. Her body also showed no traces of violence.
Following questioning, CCTV camera footage was shown to the woman and officials from the Australia Embassy, which prompted the woman to confess.
Accordign to Phuket Police Commander Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul, the woman said she lied about the rape because she was afraid her boyfriend would be angry with her because she arrived back to their hotel room later than him.
The couple had spent a night out in Patong where they fought and then split up.
Maj Gen Chonasit said the woman had told police that her boyfriend was hot-tempered, so she lied about the situation to avoid her boyfriend being angry.
Police charged her with reporting a false statement. She was due to appear in court this morning.
