From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok, December 10
A Briton, who fled Thailand with his girlfriend after they believe they were seriously sexually abused after being drugged on a holiday island, has returned to complete his evidence for Thai police.
Police in Koh Chang, 250 miles south east of Bangkok, said today they had now taken a statement from the man, known only as Richard, over claims that the couple from London had both been raped at their holiday bungalow on the island at the end of a world tour.
The couple, the man, a company director, 42, the woman, known as Susan, 31, fled with the bedding from their guest house, believing the Thai Police were not taking their allegations seriously.
Both have been interviewed by officers from a Scotland Yard ‘Project Sapphire’ team based in Kingston, and have been treated and tested at ‘The Haven’ at the Royal London Hospital.
“I am absolutely confident that Scotland Yard will be able to confirm that we were drugged and that they will be able to get DNA profiles of our attackers,” said Richard in Bangkok today.
The couple claimed they were drinking and listening to music at their holiday apartment on the Thai island of Koh Chang in the early morning on November 19th with an English woman and her three French friends, when they collapsed.
The man claimed he awoke briefly to find his face being forced against their bungalow window to see his partner being raped inside. Later the same morning he awoke again to see the group leave and boast about what they had done. Before they complained to police they consulted a local doctor who told them they were showing the symptoms of having been drugged with a ‘date rape’ type drug, possibly Dormicon.
Dr. Roongtham Charentantanakul , who counseled said afterwards: “These cases are very difficult to deal with. These drugs have two main affects, one is hypnotic and the other is retrograde amnesia. That means the victims can fully co-operate with their attackers and then afterwards forget all about it or only have partial recall”.
Although ‘Susan’, 31, gave a statement, the couple decided to flee Thailand, they said, when a Thai British Consular official advised them to leave, and police refused to collect DNA evidence from their room.
Scotland Yard have confirmed they have taken samples from the couple and their bedding and also done video interviews. The matter would be handed over to SOCA – the Serious Organised Crime Agency, who have a representative at the British Embassy in Bangkok, to pass on to Royal Thai Police, Region 2.
i have just returned back from thailand, to be precise, my boyfriend managed to get me an emergancy flight back home to be here for christmas.i think and feel that people need to be made more aware of what the reality is when going to thailand or anywhere else for that matter. it is not what it seems!!! tourists do not behave in their normal manner when away from home.|It is reality!i was drugged and raped by a number of men, my dad seperated from me and who knows the full affect of the incident.The police did nothing… absolutely NOTHING! they pretended nothing happened. i recall french and russion.. it is a reality and i just wish parents would see the reality from the pretty picture that has been created. i am a 24 yr old woman… it happens!
My sympathies, and is is courageous of you to reply in the circumsatnces.
You are right, more media involvement is needed. Drummond’s terrier like approach sometimes gets up people’s noses for some reason but someone needs to keep these issues on the front burner.
( sorry for the mixed metaphors, i’m tired)
Happy New Year - newbie. Ehem, you’re not normally so patronising, but I’ll take your mixed mets as a guarded compliment
Not patronising. Being truthful. I like your fearless reporting as do many others.
I was referring to MY mixed metaphors. “terrier-like” “up people’s noses” “front burner” .. I would have got a fail doing that in an exam. !!
Happy new year.
( ps. How do you post smileys on this blog)
Many thanks. Colon - dash - and ) or possibly (
if you aren’t so happy
I’m always happy
“Nil carbarundum illigitimum” is my motto
( Don’t let the bastards grind you down)
Off topic but: Mihi est praepositum in taberna mori
Be aware that anybody can get any drug without a prescription at any Thai pharmacy, including Rohypnol (”roofies”) and other knock out drugs. Prostitutes and Kataoys (”ladyboys”) use them to drug their john and then steal everything in the room. Some victims never wake up…
So, if you absolutely MUST have sex with taht bar girl/boy do it in a neutral locale and leave all your valuables in the hotel safe.