CSD 'cover and contact' operation nabs a suspected serial rapist
The lure of easy money and a life of glamour drew at least three aspiring models into the clutches of an alleged rapist pretending to be a talent scout.
Samrit: Works with an events company
Three women in their early 20s reported they had been raped to the Crime Suppression Division on May 2.
The women, who had experience working as "presenter pretties" _ models who present products at entertainment and launch events _ told police they were deceived by a man posing as a modelling agent for Penthouse magazine.
Samrit Thongsrikaew, 29, promised them the opportunity of a lifetime _ a contract as a wine presenter in Singapore earning 20,000 baht a day for 12 months.
The women, who were not identified, said they knew Mr Samrit through a Facebook contact. He goes by an alias of "Papa Rueng Saeng" [Glowing Papa].
They said the man insisted they feature in a short trailer for an erotic film as part of the audition. If the trailer made the cut, they would be picked to become presenters of a wine in Singapore.
Mr Samrit is said to have enticed them with the promise of a 12-month contract paying each woman 20,000 baht a day, plus a chance to appear in a movie earning an additional 400,000 baht.
CSD investigators believe many more girls may have been duped in this way.
The CSD's Pol Lt Col Runglert Kanthachan said as many as 10 women may have fallen prey to Glowing Papa.
Many attractive young girls are tempted by bogus advertisements and the offer of highly-paid modelling and presenter jobs overseas.
The detective said the CSD treated this as a priority case, given the number of damaged parties involved.
After interviewing the three women, police expanded their investigation and were able to locate three more women who also said they were conned and sexually assaulted by Mr Samrit.
These women revealed the suspect was an employee of a firm that organised events, with close personal and professional links to many female presenters.
Police obtained a court warrant for Mr Samrit's arrest on May 8.
The next morning, the team asked one of his accusers to act as a decoy in a sting operation intending to arrest the suspect red-handed.
She met Mr Samrit at a fast food outlet at Lat Phrao Soi 118, and the suspect drove her to his apartment, with the police team following closely.
Upon arriving at his apartment in Lat Phrao Soi 130, the police team split up _ one group of officers secured the ground floor of the apartment, another stood guard along the corridor outside the suspect's room on the 5th floor, and the last group stood prepared to force their way into the room.
"It is called a contact and cover operation," Pol Lt Col Runglert explained.
The police officers moved in slowly and with caution. They were told the suspect may be armed.
The decoy was instructed by police to pretend to agree to have the suspect film her for the erotic trailer.
Once Mr Samrit finished setting up a video camera inside the room, the decoy alerted the police with her mobile phone.
The officers asked the apartment security guard to knock on the door and told Mr Samrit his car was blocking the apartment's driveway. When Mr Samrit unlocked the door, the police pushed their way in and found the suspect wearing only boxer shorts.
Police seized a notebook computer, a hard disk and the video camera from the room. Pol Lt Col Runglert said the suspect was persuasive and came across as trustworthy when luring in women.
"He would talk the women into having a drink with him before making the raunchy recording. After that, he would rape the women," the detective said. Victims told police the suspect would then threaten to use the recording to blackmail them or post it on the internet.
Mr Samrit has been charged with rape and is being detained at the Criminal Court pending a police investigation. Police have opposed his bail request, fearing he might intimidate witnesses.
The lure of easy money and a life of glamour drew at least three aspiring models into the clutches of an alleged rapist pretending to be a talent scout.
Samrit: Works with an events company
Three women in their early 20s reported they had been raped to the Crime Suppression Division on May 2.
The women, who had experience working as "presenter pretties" _ models who present products at entertainment and launch events _ told police they were deceived by a man posing as a modelling agent for Penthouse magazine.
Samrit Thongsrikaew, 29, promised them the opportunity of a lifetime _ a contract as a wine presenter in Singapore earning 20,000 baht a day for 12 months.
The women, who were not identified, said they knew Mr Samrit through a Facebook contact. He goes by an alias of "Papa Rueng Saeng" [Glowing Papa].
They said the man insisted they feature in a short trailer for an erotic film as part of the audition. If the trailer made the cut, they would be picked to become presenters of a wine in Singapore.
Mr Samrit is said to have enticed them with the promise of a 12-month contract paying each woman 20,000 baht a day, plus a chance to appear in a movie earning an additional 400,000 baht.
CSD investigators believe many more girls may have been duped in this way.
The CSD's Pol Lt Col Runglert Kanthachan said as many as 10 women may have fallen prey to Glowing Papa.
Many attractive young girls are tempted by bogus advertisements and the offer of highly-paid modelling and presenter jobs overseas.
The detective said the CSD treated this as a priority case, given the number of damaged parties involved.
After interviewing the three women, police expanded their investigation and were able to locate three more women who also said they were conned and sexually assaulted by Mr Samrit.
These women revealed the suspect was an employee of a firm that organised events, with close personal and professional links to many female presenters.
Police obtained a court warrant for Mr Samrit's arrest on May 8.
The next morning, the team asked one of his accusers to act as a decoy in a sting operation intending to arrest the suspect red-handed.
She met Mr Samrit at a fast food outlet at Lat Phrao Soi 118, and the suspect drove her to his apartment, with the police team following closely.
Upon arriving at his apartment in Lat Phrao Soi 130, the police team split up _ one group of officers secured the ground floor of the apartment, another stood guard along the corridor outside the suspect's room on the 5th floor, and the last group stood prepared to force their way into the room.
"It is called a contact and cover operation," Pol Lt Col Runglert explained.
The police officers moved in slowly and with caution. They were told the suspect may be armed.
The decoy was instructed by police to pretend to agree to have the suspect film her for the erotic trailer.
Once Mr Samrit finished setting up a video camera inside the room, the decoy alerted the police with her mobile phone.
The officers asked the apartment security guard to knock on the door and told Mr Samrit his car was blocking the apartment's driveway. When Mr Samrit unlocked the door, the police pushed their way in and found the suspect wearing only boxer shorts.
Police seized a notebook computer, a hard disk and the video camera from the room. Pol Lt Col Runglert said the suspect was persuasive and came across as trustworthy when luring in women.
"He would talk the women into having a drink with him before making the raunchy recording. After that, he would rape the women," the detective said. Victims told police the suspect would then threaten to use the recording to blackmail them or post it on the internet.
Mr Samrit has been charged with rape and is being detained at the Criminal Court pending a police investigation. Police have opposed his bail request, fearing he might intimidate witnesses.
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