A man who was caught on CCTV attacking a hotel receptionist in the early hours of Monday (19th January) while she was sleeping behind the counter, who died from the injuries he inflicted, has been quickly tracked down and arrested by local and provincial police on Tuesday afternoon (20th January). The horrific and brutal attack on Wirin “Nui” Thaolipo, 35, was carried out during a robbery at the hotel in Soi Hua Hin 88/1, as the man paced around in the reception area before climbing over the counter and striking her at least 14 times with an iron bar, which he left at the scene. He then stole two mobile phones and a black bag before fleeing.
The suspect, Rattikorn Yingyod, 36, originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat province, was described as homeless. Police said he had a long criminal history, including sexual assault, physical abuse, theft, and drug-related offences, committed in Nakhon Ratchasima. The arrest was made after he was found hiding near a railway U-turn bridge close to Hua Hin Soi 42, laying face down in long grass, and apparently resisted arrest. The police had to calm and restrain some people who had gathered nearby, some of whom have been reported as relatives of the victim, and had to quickly take Yingyod away for questioning and the necessary legal procedures.
It is thought that Yingyod moved to Hua Hin about three or four months previously, and had been living rough at various places along the railway tracks, and was often seen begging for money from locals and tourists. Police said that he had been living a transient lifestyle, moving from place to place often, and they described him as a dangerous individual. They found him in possession of a blue Samsung mobile phone, which he claimed he found on the beach, but no information has been given about the items stolen during the incident. Apparently he has said that he did not know Wirin, but has shown no signs of remorse.
Above: Part of the poster issued by Thai Police before the suspect was arrested
Tragically, it has been reported by The Thaiger that the victim’s boyfriend, a Thai man named as Komkrit, witnessed the savage beating as he had kept a video call with Wirin open while she rested, and attempted to wake her as the assailant approached, to no avail. Komkrit immediately drove to the scene but found Wirin unconscious, and the attacker gone. Channel 7 ran a report saying that the suspect’s own relatives urged authorities to seek the death penalty, citing his repeated criminal behaviour and the danger he posed to society. However, so far the police are only preparing to prosecute him on a charge of robbery causing death and are continuing to investigate his past conduct as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The last execution in Thailand was in 2018, and this was for a very similar offence (a man guilty of robbery resulting in death), so it seems the death penalty may be an available punishment in this case; generally though, if someone confesses a crime, they are rarely given the harshest penalty available, and in virtually all crimes those accused are encouraged to confess, both from a lesser punishment perspective and the saving of court time. Since 2002 there have only been three executions, and it does appear as if on the political side that Thailand is attempting to move towards dropping the death penalty, despite strong public support to retain and use it. There are no current figures available, but as of August 2024, it has been reported that there were 393 convicts on death row in Thailand, some of whom have appealed for a Royal pardon or commutation. Many of these convicts were sentenced for drug related offences, with a majority of the women inmates there for that reason, and many expect these cases to be successful in their appeals.
UPDATE 22nd January: This morning the suspect appeared in court as investigators submitted their first application for pre-trial detention, requesting a 12-day remand. The charges listed in the application include premeditated murder, murder involving torture or extreme cruelty, murder committed to facilitate another offence, and robbery resulting in death, in line with the arrest warrant previously issued by the court. After reviewing the request and questioning the circumstances of the case, the court approved the detention. No application for temporary release was submitted by the suspect or any of his relatives. The court also noted the objection raised by investigators, who argued that there were reasonable grounds to believe the suspect could flee or pose other risks if released. Bail was therefore denied.
