Love motel shootout ends in bust

SAMUT PRAKAN: Police arrested a 29-year-old man wanted for allegedly raping and robbing an assistant nurse following a shootout and seven-hour siege at a love motel in Bang Phli district on Wednesday night.

Thanapol Ninpat is accused of breaking into the rented room of the 18-year-old assistant nurse in Bangkok’s Suan Luang area in the early hours of Sept 11.

The nurse told police she was raped before the attacker fled with her valuables.

A team of city police went to the Barroza Motel on Kingkaew Road early on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a tip-off the suspect might be there.

The stand-off began when Mr Thanapol spotted police when he emerged from one of the rooms. He then bolted back inside and opened fire at police, forcing officers to evacuate motel guests and staff, police said.

A further volley of shots prompted an exchange of gunfire. However, the suspect refused to surrender and threatened to take his own life if police moved in to arrest him, reports said.

Police from several stations were sent to the scene to surround the motel.

Around 7pm, 50 officers from the Arintharat special police task force arrived, stormed the motel room and arrested the suspect, who was found hiding in the ceiling of another room.

Pol Maj Gen Suwat Jaengyodsuk, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said the suspect would face charges of attempting to murder police officers and carrying a weapon in public on top of the rape and theft charges. He would also be tested for drug use.

During questioning the suspect claimed he had no intention of raping the victim when he broke into the room to steal, police said. He did so when the woman woke up and saw him, they added.

Mr Thanapol has a criminal record for theft and narcotics use, but not rape, police said.