Bangkok's 'Acid' Attacker Arrested And Charged

[webfact]

CRIME

Bangkok's 'acid' attacker arrested and charged

The Nation

Rachan

BANGKOK: -- A suspected serial chemical attacker has admitted sprinkling a mixture of bathroom cleaners on other people on 30 occasions in Bangkok over the past two months, acting city police chief Pol Maj Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang told a press conference Monday.

Affirming the attacks were the work of a single individual, he said Yanhee International Hospital would treat free of charge the chemical burns of all victims until their condition returned to normal.

The tricycleriding scavenger Rachan Theerakitnukul, 50, incoherently said that he was high on drugs and wanted to take a revenge on those who looked down on him for parking his vehicle in others' way and extorting foreigners.

Five victims were present at the conference and identified Rachan as their attacker. Rachan also apologised to them.

Kamronwit said Rachan confessed to 30 attacks at locations including Lumpini, Pratunam (eight times), Saphan Kwai (10 times), Sutthisan, Phaholyothin, Victory Monument (four times), Lat Phrao (five times) and Bang Sue. He said he had taken drugs on each occasion. His victims recognised Rachan’s tricycle, which had two large headlights.

Kamronwit said Rachan, who was arrested in Bang Sue for taking yaba in 2004 and had no history of mental health problems, confessed he had attacked his victims this because he was angry for being scolded and looked down upon.

Police have so far identified six of his victim: British woman, four Thai women and one Thai man.

Police charged Rachan with assault and causing harms to their physical and mental health.

Rachan was arrested on Sunday at Soi Inthamara 59 while the search of his rented room also yielded drugtaking paraphernalia.

Rachan reportedly told police that, when he sorted through garbage and found toilet cleaner bottles, he would put the leftover liquid in a small bottle to sprinkle at others to vent his anger.

-- The Nation 2012-06-11

[webfact]

Scavenger confesses to series of acid attacks in Bangkok

BANGKOK, June 11- Police in the Thai capital detained a scavenger who confessed to committing 30 attacks splashing corrosive liquid on random passersby during May and early June.

Rachan Teerakijnukul, a 50-year-old scavenger, confessed he rode his tricycle cart to several areas and splashed chemicals on passersby as he felt upset and dissatisfied that people looked down on him.

In addition to feeling insulted by other people, he admitted to having a drug habit, being addicted crystal meth or ‘ice’, Acting Metropolitan Police Bureau Chief Kamronwit Thoopkrachang told a press briefing today.

Meanwhile, after Thai and foreign victims identified him correctly, the detainee was taken to the crime scene to reenact some of the attacks.

A series of corrosive acid attacks occurred in several areas of the capital, including Saphan Khwai, Pratunam, Ratchaprasong, Victory Monument, and Lat Phrao.

The suspect was arrested at his home in the Sutthisan area late Sunday. Police seized his tricycle cart, used to collect scraps and bathroom cleanser bottles which he used to harm the victims.

In a related development, Pol Maj-Gen Kamronwit said that the chemical substance used for the attacks was identified as concentrated liquid drain cleaner, which caused the victim suffering from chemical burns. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-11

[Chads]

Wow, that's... odd.

[PoodMaiDai]

But wait, there's more...

There is a female blogger who had to go to the hospital several months ago due to the very same thing. Her and her boyfriend were sprayed in Bangkok. If memory serves, the police didn't believe her. So if this whack job has only been doing it for 2 months, that means there is another or this clown has been spraying people for longer than he claims.

[Chads]

But wait, there's more...

There is a female blogger who had to go to the hospital several months ago due to the very same thing. Her and her boyfriend were sprayed in Bangkok. If memory serves, the police didn't believe her. So if this whack job has only been doing it for 2 months, that means there is another or this clown has been spraying people for longer than he claims.

It's a bathroom-cleaner-acid-attack gang!

[infernalman7]

In Thai newspapers, he said the reason behind his attacks was because he was "poor".

Yet he was able to afford drugs

[Payboy]

Rachan Theerakitnukul, 50, incoherently said that he was high on drugs

Not exactly a confession admissible in court, but then who knows.

[Pseudolus]

This story reeks of a fit up. I've had bleach and bathroom cleaner on my skin many times and never had these kinds of issues. In Hong Kong where this is a very worrying affair indeed with litre bottles being thrown into busy streets from high buildings, the chemical they use leaves the same marks and over there is it drain cleaner or something similar. Not run of the mill toilet cleaner. Tourist hit with acid attacks, goes public, Bangkok's finest arrest someone.Yeah right. A phantom man spraying people as they walk past with something they do not really realise is nasty until a few moments later.

Don't believe a word of this. They have pulled this guy in, made him confess, and case closed. Until the next one. Which will be a different guy of course. Who they will catch in record time. What a load of bull.

[manutoo]

Kamronwit said Rachan confessed to 30 attacks at locations including Lumpini, Pratunam (eight times), Saphan Kwai (10 times), Sutthisan, Phaholyothin, Victory Monument (four times), Lat Phrao (five times) and Bang Sue. He said he had taken drugs on each occasion. His victims recognised Rachan’s tricycle, which had two large headlights.

For a junky, he has an awfully good memory for places & numbers... Or ice enhances memory..?

It looks more like they put it all on him & he nicely said yes all along...

[mamypoko]

Am I reading this correctly? Among those on his hit list were those that extorted foreigners?

If so, he should have been easy to spot with a 1000 lit. tank

[Steele404]

a classic story where the system and society drives a person insane and drives him on a rampage

[SOTIRIOS]

....I don't see anything funny about this....he could have blinded people, including children...

...the question remains....what will happen to him now....admittedly a drug addict with 'a chip on his shoulder'..

...what therapy will he receive, if any...

.....what safeguards that he won't simply be released...because he confessed....and said he was sorry.....

[FatherF]

"His victims recognised Rachan’s tricycle, which had two large headlights."

Ha ha ha.....

[supaprik]

This story reeks of a fit up. I've had bleach and bathroom cleaner on my skin many times and never had these kinds of issues. In Hong Kong where this is a very worrying affair indeed with litre bottles being thrown into busy streets from high buildings, the chemical they use leaves the same marks and over there is it drain cleaner or something similar. Not run of the mill toilet cleaner. Tourist hit with acid attacks, goes public, Bangkok's finest arrest someone.Yeah right. A phantom man spraying people as they walk past with something they do not really realise is nasty until a few moments later.

Don't believe a word of this. They have pulled this guy in, made him confess, and case closed. Until the next one. Which will be a different guy of course. Who they will catch in record time. What a load of bull.

Not much of a "conspiracy theorist"myself but on this occasion I must agree with above certainly in part. Just seems rather far fetched that this guy has done ALL the chemical spraying around Bangkok, toilet cleaners are mainly caustic

( Sodium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydrochloride ) based and diluted to about 80 plus % so most and I say most people sprayed with a small amount would have little if any reaction, it seems at least to me there is another person spraying people with more than just toilet duck...time will tell

[AleG]

This story reeks of a fit up. I've had bleach and bathroom cleaner on my skin many times and never had these kinds of issues. In Hong Kong where this is a very worrying affair indeed with litre bottles being thrown into busy streets from high buildings, the chemical they use leaves the same marks and over there is it drain cleaner or something similar. Not run of the mill toilet cleaner. Tourist hit with acid attacks, goes public, Bangkok's finest arrest someone.Yeah right. A phantom man spraying people as they walk past with something they do not really realise is nasty until a few moments later.

Don't believe a word of this. They have pulled this guy in, made him confess, and case closed. Until the next one. Which will be a different guy of course. Who they will catch in record time. What a load of bull.

Yes, of course!

And the victims that identified the man are on it too!

sigh...

[worgeordie]

I am sure I read that the suspects they were looking for

were 2 men on a motor bike?

regards Worgeordie

[hungryhippo]

This story reeks of a fit up. I've had bleach and bathroom cleaner on my skin many times and never had these kinds of issues.

Because you've cleaned it off. The reports were from people that were sprayed then claimed of skin irritation after a few hours. We're not talking about faces melting here just itchy skin.

Don't believe a word of this. They have pulled this guy in, made him confess, and case closed. Until the next one. Which will be a different guy of course. Who they will catch in record time. What a load of bull.

Yes, yes... regardless of all the evidence and a lack of government motive to bother doing all this you've broken through the conspiracy, congratulations..

[OzMick]

Am I reading this correctly? Among those on his hit list were those that extorted foreigners?

If so, he should have been easy to spot with a 1000 lit. tank

"....... those who looked down on him for parking his vehicle in others' way and extorting foreigners.'

As I read that statement , it seems he was extorting foreigners, but has no regrets for that.

However if PPD and the red shirt lawyers want to dispute the meaning of "and" in the context of the sentence i will concede defeat in advance because I couldn't be @rsed arguing about it for a week.

[lujanit]

In a related development, Pol Maj-Gen Kamronwit said that the chemical substance used for the attacks was identified as concentrated liquid drain cleaner, which caused the victim suffering from chemical burns. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-11

If, indeed it was concentrated drain cleaner then it would be sodium hydroxide and that is far more corrosive and therefore dangerous than plain old bathroom cleaner.

[how241]

In Thai newspapers, he said the reason behind his attacks was because he was "poor".

Yet he was able to afford drugs

Yes, that's always the case.

[Pseudolus]

This story reeks of a fit up. I've had bleach and bathroom cleaner on my skin many times and never had these kinds of issues.

Because you've cleaned it off. The reports were from people that were sprayed then claimed of skin irritation after a few hours. We're not talking about faces melting here just itchy skin.

Don't believe a word of this. They have pulled this guy in, made him confess, and case closed. Until the next one. Which will be a different guy of course. Who they will catch in record time. What a load of bull.

Yes, yes... regardless of all the evidence and a lack of government motive to bother doing all this you've broken through the conspiracy, congratulations..

1) There is a picture on here of a woman with severe chemical burns. Your fluffyness point one blown out of the water straight away.

2) Lack of motive? Tourist attacked with Acid and perp on the loose? IN a country that is the global hub of tourism (in their minds). Motive.

Evidence? It's their lack of evidence that points towards this being a crock of ga ga. As for the witnesses, well, few tourists will know the difference between one 50 yr old dirty street bloke and another.

Sorry pal, believe the shithouse press and cops here if you like, but personally I tend to disbelieve anything they say until it is proven.

[Lakegeneve]

Kamronwit said Rachan confessed to 30 attacks at locations including Lumpini, Pratunam (eight times), Saphan Kwai (10 times), Sutthisan, Phaholyothin, Victory Monument (four times), Lat Phrao (five times) and Bang Sue. He said he had taken drugs on each occasion. His victims recognised Rachan’s tricycle, which had two large headlights.

For a junky, he has an awfully good memory for places & numbers... Or ice enhances memory..?

It looks more like they put it all on him & he nicely said yes all along...

Clearly, this is the case. It certainly appears that he has committed a number of these attacks if we are to believe media reports and police allegations but the other obvious thing is that every single incident in the last (insert time period) will be attributed to this individual. Nice way easy way for the police in a number of inner city districts to clear up a caseload they weren't bothering about. Even better when it is someone who is a drug addict, socially marginalised and an individual most likely with a mental illness.

One thing I seem to remember is that there were a few reports last year, and earlier this year of various acid attacks, in the location of the Asoke & Sukhumvit intersection. One thread on TV detailed a reported attack on a western women walking on the BTS pedestrian link if I remember correctly. I wonder of these incidents will be attributed to Mr Rachan.

Also, an interesting letter was published today in that other english newspaper which cannot be named. The writer wrote that that her female visitor from England was splashed in the face by an 'iron scrap dealer pedalling a rod khen'. Sound familiar? The writer says that incident took place on 5 Sept 2011 near Chatujak market which suggests that these incidents have a longer history than just the last two months. The writer also complained that she could find no police to help and that her latter last year was never published.

[belg]

it looks he is going to be a problem, the rest of his life

so why not give chance a little help and make it happen quick at a reduced cost for everybody

hope some family members are in bangkok hilton to help him to his next life

[Nisa]

In a related development, Pol Maj-Gen Kamronwit said that the chemical substance used for the attacks was identified as concentrated liquid drain cleaner, which caused the victim suffering from chemical burns. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-11

If, indeed it was concentrated drain cleaner then it would be sodium hydroxide and that is far more corrosive and therefore dangerous than plain old bathroom cleaner.

The other paper says he was arrested with Duck brand toilet cleaner in his pocket.

[Reasonableman]

That makes him a ducking psychopath.

[geriatrickid]

Am I reading this correctly? Among those on his hit list were those that extorted foreigners?

If so, he should have been easy to spot with a 1000 lit. tank

"....... those who looked down on him for parking his vehicle in others' way and extorting foreigners.'

As I read that statement , it seems he was extorting foreigners, but has no regrets for that.

However if PPD and the red shirt lawyers want to dispute the meaning of "and" in the context of the sentence i will concede defeat in advance because I couldn't be @rsed arguing about it for a week.

How does this have anything to do with redshirts?

You have hung your hat on what the Nation wrote. Now read the MCOT version. Different isn't it?

Being poor does not make someone a redshirt, nor do the anti-social actions of someone that that has obvious mental health issues.

[psmiller]

But wait, there's more...

There is a female blogger who had to go to the hospital several months ago due to the very same thing. Her and her boyfriend were sprayed in Bangkok. If memory serves, the police didn't believe her. So if this whack job has only been doing it for 2 months, that means there is another or this clown has been spraying people for longer than he claims.

There were definitely cases a few years ago, same deal, but nothing ever eventuated.

[metisdead]

A profane and inflammatory post has been removed as well as some repetitious posts cross posted from another topic of the same nature.

[OzMick]

Am I reading this correctly? Among those on his hit list were those that extorted foreigners?

If so, he should have been easy to spot with a 1000 lit. tank

"....... those who looked down on him for parking his vehicle in others' way and extorting foreigners.'

As I read that statement , it seems he was extorting foreigners, but has no regrets for that.

However if PPD and the red shirt lawyers want to dispute the meaning of "and" in the context of the sentence i will concede defeat in advance because I couldn't be @rsed arguing about it for a week.

How does this have anything to do with redshirts?

You have hung your hat on what the Nation wrote. Now read the MCOT version. Different isn't it?

Being poor does not make someone a redshirt, nor do the anti-social actions of someone that that has obvious mental health issues.

I'll try to explain it to you in words of one syllable or less.

I replied to a poster who thought that the arrested man was spraying those extorting foreigners, hence he would need a large bottle.

I pointed out that as I read it, the "and" indicated that the arrested man was extorting money from foreigners, not his victims.

There was no suggestion made that this person has any particular political affiliation. The reference to "red shirt lawyers" was in a separate paragraph and was re a different subject - the meaning of "and"

But in other threads, there has extended argument hinging on the CC's interpretation of "and". I find it completely boring. If you wish to argue about the meaning of "and" and whether legislation can be examined before it is passed, do so without me.

The MCOT article doesn't mention extorting foreigners, so I don't see the significance of the reference.

Is that simple enough or should I include diagrams?

[MEL1]

Something smells here, and it smells caustic. It's like somebody is being burned for something they didn't do.

I'm sure the BIB will come out of this as clean as their whistles, however.

-mel.