A British elephant sanctuary worker was hospitalised with a brain haemorrhage after an alleged assault and rape at a hotel in Phitsanulok, Thailand, and a Thai bar host is now charged over the attack.
According to police, the accused, 26 year old Phattharaphon Wongbuangam, and the 35 year old woman checked into her room at a hotel in Phitsanulok in the early hours of June 6. Police allege the assault occurred after the woman rejected the accused’s advances.
The woman reportedly sustained serious injuries while resisting the alleged attacker before reaching the hotel reception to seek help. Staff called police and paramedics after seeing her with bruising, including a black eye, and a brain haemorrhage, police said.
She was taken to Bangkok Hospital Phitsanulok, where she underwent surgery for a brain bleed. The accused had fled the hotel before officers arrived, police said.
Police launched a search for the accused, who was believed to have travelled around 390 kilometres to Bangkok. Investigators said they traced his movements across provinces using CCTV footage.
The accused was arrested on Saturday, June 4, at 10.30pm while getting off a bus in Phitsanulok. Police said he was wearing the same clothing as on the day of the alleged assault.
It remains unclear from initial reports whether the accused had actually travelled to Bangkok before returning, or whether the 390-kilometre figure referred to the distance between Phitsanulok and the capital.
Police Captain Chananan Chaikawin of Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station said the accused has been charged with physical assault, causing grievous bodily harm, and rape.
According to police, the woman told officers she arrived in Thailand on October 19, 2025, on a work visa valid until October 19, 2026, and had been working at an elephant sanctuary prior to the alleged attack.
“The complainant came to Thailand not for tourism, but to work,” Chaikawin said. “She works as an elephant caretaker at the Sappraiwan Elephant Resort.”
He added that the accused did not use a weapon but allegedly punched and kicked the complainant.
The woman has since been discharged from the hospital but remains under medical observation, police said. The accused has been remanded in custody since his arrest, The Sun reported.
Police said the British Embassy has been notified, and an interpreter is due to assist the woman’s relatives with the investigation and legal proceedings.
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