Wichit Police said the man was taken into custody in Phuket Town yesterday evening (Aug 4) under an arrest warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on July 29.
The arrest follows a months-long investigation into the incident, which allegedly took place in early May.
According to a public statement from Wichit Police, the suspect was apprehended near the old bus terminal on Phang Nga Rd after officers received information that he was in the area.
He was arrested by a team of investigators led by Wichit Police Inspector Lt Col Wittaya Kunnoi, under the direction of Wichit Police Chief Col Somsak Thongkliang.
The man has been charged with raping a woman while she was unable to resist and with recording video or audio of the act for personal or third-party gain. Police said the video clip was used as key evidence in the arrest warrant.
The victim, a Myanmar national, told police she had been invited to a birthday dinner in May by a close friend and her boyfriend, the accused. The group had drinks at a restaurant in Phuket Town, after which the victim reportedly lost consciousness and later woke up in the suspect’s room, alongside her friend. At the time, she believed nothing serious had occurred.
However, last week the woman received a video clip from a friend, allegedly showing the suspect engaging in sexual activity with her while she appeared to be unconscious. She filed a formal complaint at Wichit Police Station shortly thereafter.
Police said the suspect fled to a northern province but later returned to Phuket, where investigators tracked him down while he was applying for a job at a restaurant in town.
The suspect continues to deny the charges. Police said further legal proceedings are now underway.