Canadian held in Chiang Mai Brit’s rape case

A 38-year-old Canadian man has been arrested in Chiang Mai on a charge of raping a British tourist, after police said they found information indicating he was preparing to leave Thailand.

The suspect named by authorities as Aldo Giovanni Ochoa Saenz was detained in a hotel room in central Chiang Mai at 11pm on September 22. The arrest was announced on September 23, 2026.

He was arrested under a warrant issued by Chiang Mai Provincial Court for the offence of rape, according to Tourist Police and Mae Ping Police Station officers.

Complaint followed party on September 13

The case began after the British Consulate in Chiang Mai contacted Tourist Police Division 2 following a report from a British tourist who said she had been sexually assaulted.

The woman told officers that she had arrived in Thailand for travel and had met socially with a group of friends, including the suspect, on September 13. The group had consumed alcohol before the alleged assault took place, police said.

She later filed a complaint with investigators at Mae Ping Police Station. Officers gathered evidence and arranged for her to undergo a medical examination at a hospital before applying to the court for an arrest warrant.

Tourist Police investigators, led by Pol Lt Col Awirut Sukhyaem, worked with officers from Mae Ping Police Station in the operation. Pol Col Phitsanu Triamdee, superintendent of Tourist Police Division 2, had received the initial co-ordination from the British Consulate.

Pictures courtesy of Khoasod

Phone data showed planned departure, police say

Police said checks of information held on the suspect's mobile phone indicated that he intended to leave the kingdom on the morning of September 23.

Officers moved quickly to locate him and arrested him at the Chiang Mai hotel before he could depart, according to the police account.

Saenz was taken to investigators at Mae Ping Police Station for further legal proceedings. Police said they would ensure fairness for both sides, in the investigation.

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24 September 2026