Swiss man arrested in Thailand on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor

Thailand: Swiss man arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a 14-year-old Keystone-SDA

The authorities on the Thai island of Phuket have arrested a Swiss national. He is accused of luring a 14-year-old boy and sexually abusing him.

The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed the arrest of a Swiss national in Thailand. The embassy in Bangkok is in contact with the local authorities and is providing consular protection to the person concerned.

The incident is reported to have taken place on July 10 at Patong Beach on the west coast of the popular holiday island, according to 20 Minuten, which cites numerous local media outlets, including The Phuket News. The alleged perpetrator is said to have asked the 14-year-old for a photo and his address, before adding him as a contact on the Line messaging app and then inviting him to go for a swim in the sea together. It was at that point that the sexual abuse is said to have taken place.

The boy’s mother is said to have alerted the local police that same evening, shortly after the man had sent the photo they had taken together and asked to meet up again.

On Monday July 13, the Swiss national was subsequently arrested, and the incriminating photographs were found on his mobile phone and laptop. The charges against the man are the abduction of a child under the age of 15 for sexual purposes, the rape of a child under the age of 15 and indecent acts involving a child under the age of 15.

The man faces a prison sentence of between five and twenty years. He has been denied bail, whilst the Thai Immigration Bureau, according to media reports, is reportedly considering taking legal action regarding the Swiss man’s residence permit and revoking his visa. Among the local population, the man is reportedly regarded as a respected business executive.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.