A Spanish national has been arrested for allegedly handcuffing and raping a Thai woman in a Bangkok condominium.
Jorge Vazquez Lopez, 30, an Internet marketer, was apprehended on charges of forcible rape of a defenceless victim, said Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, during a media conference on Tuesday.
The arrest came after a Thai woman filed a complaint with Thong Lor police, saying she had been raped by a Spanish man in a condominium room in the Thong Lor area on Saturday, said the Immigration Bureau chief.
Thong Lor police then sought cooperation from the bureau on Monday. Immigration police soon tracked down the suspect, and he was arrested, said Pol Lt Gen Surachate.
An investigation found that the victim and several friends went to an entertainment venue on the night of Feb 15. On leaving, she drove a friend and the suspect to a condominium in Thong Lor. On arrival at the condo, she asked to use a bathroom, and when she came back out, she found only the Spanish man in the room. He then allegedly forced handcuffs onto her hands and raped her. When the ordeal was over, she filed the complaint with Thong Lor police, said Pol Lt Gen Surachate.
Mr Lopez had entered Thailand 38 times, police said, and his latest arrival was on Jan 1 this year at Suvarnabhumi airport. He was the holder of a Thai privilege card, but his visa had expired on Jan 31 this year. The man’s occupation was described as "Internet marketing specialist", and he was based in Spain.
He was held in police custody for legal action.
