Som tam shop owner accused of rape

Yosthawee Krainara, the lawyer representing the woman, told reporters yesterday (Apr 2) that he met with Lt Col Panukorn Wankaew, of the Phuket City Police on Saturday to file the formal complaint.

Mr Yosthawee explained that the woman went to an entertainment venue with a group of friends at about 2am last Thursday (Mar 30). The owner of the som tam shop was among the group.

At about 4am the restaurant owner persuaded the woman to join him and continue drinking at his som tam restaurant. Joining them at the restaurant were two friends, a man and a woman, of the som tam shop owner. They group kept drinking until about 5am, Mr Yosthawee said.

The 25-year-old woman became very drunk. All she remembers about leaving the som tam shop was getting into the owner’s car, a black sedan, he said.

The woman then woke to find herself in a room at a hotel on Surin Rd Soi 1 at 10am. Her clothes had been torn and she had “found traces of abuse”, Mr Yosthawee said.

The woman called her friends, who came to pick her up from the room.

At about midday (last Friday, Mar 31), the restaurant owner called the woman to ask if she was still at the hotel room, and whether his ‘Guess’ brand watch was there, as he had forgotten it when he left, Mr Yosthawee said.

The woman told him that she had his watch. The restaurant owner asked her to hold on to the watch for now, or to drop it off at his som tam shop. Mr Yosthawee yesterday presented the watch to reporters as evidence.

Mr Yosthawee said that after the incident the woman had been unable to accept what had happened. She had drunk toilet cleaner in a suicide attempt, but she was found vomitting in her bathroom and rushed to hospital in time to save her life, he said.

“The victim’s state of mind is now very poor and she has an appointment to see a psychiatrist [today, Apr 3],” he said.

“Regarding whether she was drugged or not, she has now undergone a physical examination at Vachira Phuket Hospital and we are awaiting results from doctors,” Mr Yosthawee added.

“As for the prosecution, it must be taken step by step, and we must look at the readiness of the victim’s mind as well,” he concluded.