Hua Hin Provincial Court has sentenced a man, 36-year-old Rattikorn "Sam" Yingyot, to death for the robbery and killing of a hotel receptionist in Prachuap Khiri Khan province in January. The ruling, delivered on 8 September, followed the defendant's admission during court proceedings. Judges found the crime so brutal that there were no grounds to reduce the sentence. Receptionist attacked during night shift The victim, a 35-year-old receptionist, was killed at a hotel in Hua Hin district at about 3.15am on 19 January. CCTV footage showed her attacker repeatedly hitting her with an iron bar before taking two mobile phones and a black bag, then fleeing the scene. She was found behind the reception counter with severe head injuries. Police later recovered the iron bar nearby. Officers arrested the suspect the following day after a search near railway tracks in Hua Hin. Court rejects plea for leniency Although the defendant admitted the offence, the court said the circumstances showed exceptional brutality. It also said he had shown no fear of the law and had caused devastating loss to the victim's family. The court consequently imposed the death penalty rather than reducing the punishment. The victim's mother attended the hearing and said the sentence delivered justice for her daughter. She also noted that the ruling was made by the court of first instance and that further legal stages and appeals remain before the case is finally concluded. Only the second death sentence in Hua Hin court According to Amarin TV, this was only the second death sentence handed down by Hua Hin Provincial Court. The earlier case involved the murder of a young girl known as Nong Kaem aboard a train. The ruling brings the trial stage of the receptionist murder case to a close, although the mother's comments underline that the legal process has not yet ended. Picture courtesy of Amarin Related story Hua-Hin-horror-receptionist-murdered-in-brutal-iron-bar-attack Join the discussion? 10 September 2026
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