Picture courtesy of Khaosod 

 

A French man has been arrested on Koh Phangan after police raided his room following a rape complaint filed by a victim. Officers from the Special Operations Unit of the Surat Thani Provincial Police Investigation Division detained 35-year-old Mr Romain Jean Félix, under an arrest warrant issued by the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Police said the suspect was apprehended without incident before being handed over to Koh Phangan Police Station for legal processing.

 

The arrest was carried out under warrant No. 412/2568, dated 6 December 2025, issued for the offence of “rape by sexual intercourse with another person who is unable to resist.” Authorities stated that the incident occurred inside a room in Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. The victim lodged a formal complaint, prompting investigators to act swiftly to locate and arrest the suspect.

 

During the same operation, officers also detained two Latvian women who were allegedly operating an illegal hotel on the island. Police did not release further details about their identities or the nature of the alleged operation. Their arrests took place alongside the primary action targeting the rape suspect.

 

Police have said the arrest followed standard investigative procedures after the victim’s report was filed. According to the investigation team, the complaint enabled them to secure the warrant and track the suspect to his accommodation. The swift action reflects ongoing efforts by local authorities to respond to serious offences involving foreign nationals in tourist areas.

 

Khoasod reported that Mr Félix has been transferred to the Investigating Officer at Koh Phangan Police Station, where the case will proceed in accordance with the law. Further questioning, evidence review and formal charges are expected to follow as investigators compile the full case file. Authorities did not indicate when court proceedings may begin, but the arrest ensures the suspect remains in custody while the investigation continues.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Police arrested French national Romain Jean Félix, 35, on Koh Phangan under a warrant issued on 6 December 2025.

• The arrest followed a rape complaint filed by a victim who reported the incident to authorities.

• Two Latvian women were also detained during the operation for allegedly running an illegal hotel.

 

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 Adapted  by  Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-12-07

 

 

Troll post removed @Celsius

So next step will be to complete Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits on both victim and suspect? Otherwise, without latent evidenc of use of force then it would boil down to he said and she said.  Sexual Assault investigation are not clear cut and many are complicated in many aspects. 

Haven't we seen this story before ............

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/06/06/ordeal-ends-for-french-cop-accused-of-koh-tao-rape/

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Haven't we seen this story before ............

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/06/06/ordeal-ends-for-french-cop-accused-of-koh-tao-rape/

I can’t access the link but the headline says Koh Tao and this one is Koh Phangan 

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Haven't we seen this story before ............

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/06/06/ordeal-ends-for-french-cop-accused-of-koh-tao-rape/

No, different island and different skin color as well as different times. How can you take that as same?

Interesting they released his name when they never seem to for other crimes, considering mud sticks when it comes to sex crimes even after people are cleared. "Unable to resist" seems to indicate intoxicated so if the victim has taken an alcohol/drug test and a forensic swab it might be very open and shut case even if he was also intoxicated.

20 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

So next step will be to complete Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits on both victim and suspect? Otherwise, without latent evidenc of use of force then it would boil down to he said and she said.  Sexual Assault investigation are not clear cut and many are complicated in many aspects. 

unable to resist would suggest intoxicated so force not necessary to prove if the victim has provided samples which indicate this to be true

20 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits on both victim and suspect

Whether the suspect can be forced to provide evidence that may incriminate him depends on laws. 

What if any does Thailand law say about suspect denial of such collection?

Thailand has a law that if driver of a vehicle stopped by police for suspected DWI refuses a sobriety test that person is automatically arrested for DWI.

In the subject case maybe a close search of the alleged suspect's place of rape and clothing in lieu of physical collection may disclose suspects DNA that might be used as evidence to support a rape chare.

39 minutes ago, ryandb said:

unable to resist would suggest intoxicated so force not necessary to prove if the victim has provided samples which indicate this to be true

This means collect the victims urine or blood sample as soon as possible.   Ruffies (Rohypnol) was a common drug suspects would use in sexaual assault cases that I investigated. 

The DNA route can throw up errors though and be harmful to the victims case. In a similar story a few months back testing for dna on a victims underwear revealed 6 seperate dna profiles and 2 further from mouth swabs. A bit hard to argue you are a sweet young college girl who got no reason was attacked. Having said that I do believe that no person should be forced to do anything against their will but at which stage does it switch from consent to no consent? During the payment process?

21 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

So next step will be to complete Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits on both victim and suspect? Otherwise, without latent evidenc of use of force then it would boil down to he said and she said.  Sexual Assault investigation are not clear cut and many are complicated in many aspects. 

 

Do these complications include the dull ruminations of the perpetual victim blamers?

7 minutes ago, Somchai Sockapok said:

The DNA route can throw up errors though and be harmful to the victims case. In a similar story a few months back testing for dna on a victims underwear revealed 6 seperate dna profiles and 2 further from mouth swabs. A bit hard to argue you are a sweet young college girl who got no reason was attacked. Having said that I do believe that no person should be forced to do anything against their will but at which stage does it switch from consent to no consent? During the payment process?

 

Very recent case of a former soldier in Australia being found guilty of rape (among other things) after the check he wrote out to the prostitute for services rendered bounced.

 

There's a lot of sleazeballs out there. This Frenchman sounds like just another one who probably blames his mummy for all this.

10 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Very recent case of a former soldier in Australia being found guilty of rape (among other things) after the check he wrote out to the prostitute for services rendered bounced.

 

There's a lot of sleazeballs out there. This Frenchman sounds like just another one who probably blames his mummy for all this.

 ...... or maybe it's just another false accusation, and he's the victim.

Innocent? Maybe.

21 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

So next step will be to complete Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits on both victim and suspect? Otherwise, without latent evidenc of use of force then it would boil down to he said and she said.  Sexual Assault investigation are not clear cut and many are complicated in many aspects. 

 

21 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Very recent case of a former soldier in Australia being found guilty of rape (among other things) after the check he wrote out to the prostitute for services rendered bounced.

But that's not rape.

It's theft.

I seriously doubt prostitutes ever get away with rape charges because the only reason she is there is she consented to sex. 

 

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Do these complications include the dull ruminations of the perpetual victim blamers?

 

No, just wondering how she got into that room...

 

Was she "unable to resist" after collecting some payment? This is the new Thailand, so guys make be careful about who you bring back, don't delete Line, Whatsapp, etc conversation... i.e make sure condomless sex was agreed upon in writing. Use traceable payments..

1 hour ago, ryandb said:

unable to resist would suggest intoxicated so force not necessary to prove if the victim has provided samples which indicate this to be true

The way I read it he thought she was a cashier and he was getting it for free because she told him she was different🤣

31 minutes ago, JJ-Thailand said:

Innocent? Maybe.

Until proven guilty, yes.  Trial by AN is of course a legitimate court of law 🤣

41 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Very recent case of a former soldier in Australia being found guilty of rape (among other things) after the check he wrote out to the prostitute for services rendered bounced.

But that's not rape.

It's theft.

I seriously doubt prostitutes ever get away with rape charges because the only reason she is there is she consented to sex.

 

You can look up the news article yourself. He procured a hooker for sex, had the mutually agreed sex on the mutually agreed financial terms, then he didn't pay her. She fully consented to have sex which she provided, and he fully consented to pay for it, which he didn't. Prostitutes have legal protections, her job is to provide play for pay. If you don't pay, it's no longer play.

 

The fraud and theft were the other charges I referred to.

55 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

But that's not rape.

It's theft.

I seriously doubt prostitutes ever get away with rape charges because the only reason she is there is she consented to sex. 

 

 

   No, the law states that she consented to sex on the condition she gets paid .

If she doesn't get paid then she didn't consent which means its rape 

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

No, the law states that she consented to sex on the condition she gets paid .

If she doesn't get paid then she didn't consent which means its rape 

If I pay a mechanic to fix my car with a cheque that bounces, are you saying that’s assault? Seems to me that it’s theft or fraud in both cases. What about a guy who makes passionate love to his girlfriend for the first time after giving her a large diamond ring. If she later discovers that the stone is in fact quartz, has he raped her?

2 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

If I pay a mechanic to fix my car with a cheque that bounces, are you saying that’s assault??

 

   No, I am not saying that .

Are you ?

3 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

 What about a guy who makes passionate love to his girlfriend for the first time after giving her a large diamond ring. If she later discovers that the stone is in fact quartz, has he raped her?

 

   I don't know 

9 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   No, the law states that she consented to sex on the condition she gets paid .

If she doesn't get paid then she didn't consent which means its rape 

 

If the sex was consensual at the time of delivery, then it was theft of services, not rape.

 

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

No, I am not saying that .

Are you ?

No, that’s my point. 

 

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I don't know

That’s certainly an honest reply, but I’m more definite.

Perhaps he paid her in fake bitcoins ?

2 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

No, that’s my point. 

 

   We aren't talking about mechanics 

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

We aren't talking about mechanics 

OK, what about the following - the guy pays her with a banknote that turns out to be counterfeit . So it’s rape if he knew the note was a forgery, not rape if he was unaware the note was forged? In the latter case, the forger is then charged with rape as well as counterfeiting if he’s caught? How far down the line do you go?