Police move quickly to trial for man who confessed to sex attack on American backpacker

Facebook photo of Hannah Gavios.
Facebook photo of Hannah Gavios.

Police are moving quickly toward a trial for the man who confessed the sexually assaulting an American backpacker in Krabi after she fell 45 meters off a cliff while trying to escape his attack.

Hannah Gavios, a 23-year-old teacher from Queens, New York, is recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket from a surgery on her broken spine caused by the fall. She was attacked by Apai Raingworchai, 28, a “guide” who offered to walk her back to her hotel through the woods in Railay.

Ao Nang Deputy Police Chief Lt. Col. Winai Poonsawas said that officers have already taken an incident report from Gavios.

“She has given us her statement, and it is similar to what Apai had told us. He did sexually attack her, but did not rape her.”

In her chilling recollection of her ordeal, Gavios told the Daily Mail, “It was pitch black and before I knew it, I was in mid-air falling off a cliff. I was honestly thinking I wouldn’t survive,” she said.

“I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever. I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldn’t move anything.”

Apai soon caught up with her as she lay helpless. “He heard me screaming and moaning and he came down and climbed down the mountain and starting crying and praying,” she said, adding that Apai was oddly remorseful about the attack.

“He was feeling very guilty. I was begging him to call for help. He got on the phone and started calling and I thought somebody was coming, but nobody came,” Gavios said.

Then her situation took a sick twist as Apai allegedly decided he wasn’t through with Gavios.

“He got on top of me. He took of his pants and masturbated on me,” she recalled. “He didn’t rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die,” she said.

Gavios said she tried to remain calm and avoid screaming to prevent him from choking her.

“As soon as it got lighter I started calling for help. He kept saying, ‘No police! No police!’” she said.

Suspect Apai Raingworchai, 28, showed the police where Gavios fell down the mountain during the re-enactment of the crime on Sept. 3. Photo: The Phuket News

Col. Winai of the Ao Nang Police said Apai is facing charges of sexual assault and assault leading to a serious injury.

Col. Winai confirmed that Apai is not a registered tour guide.

“He is a homeless man living at Ao Railay. Locals give him food and drink to get by, and sometimes people pay him to help move or carry things at the beach,” the officer said.

“He is mentally stable,” Col. Winai added, in response to reports that Apai suffers a mental disability.

According to The Mirror, Gavios was lost and went into a local tourist shop asking for her way back to the hotel, but they told her to follow Apai, one of their workers.

After police seized Apai, they also gave him drug and alcohol test. The result came back negative.

Col. Winai hopes to have Gavios give her testimony to the court as early as next week, but doctors say she needs at least 10 more days recovery in hospital.

Dr. Manop Trinarong at Bangkok Hospital Phuket said that Gavios is recovering well from her spinal surgery.

“She is recovering but needs to stay in hospital at least one more week. She can move her hands well, but her legs are still a bit of a problem. She can move her legs, but she cannot move them very much,” he said.

Gavios arrived in Thailand on holiday, taking a break from teaching English in Vietnam.

Her parents arrived in Krabi on Saturday to provide support during her recovery.

Story: The Phuket News

 


Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on