Police nab rapist who sought his prey on Facebook

Wimol Srida, 37, admitted to having participated in sexual acts with the unnamed victim, but insisted that it was consensual. Police said they were compiling evidence of Wimol allegedly committing similar crimes against two other underage victims who had also met him through Facebook. 

The teenager said Wimol had been forcing her to have sex with him for more than three months after the initial rape before she found the courage to speak to her parents. The girl later helped police set a trap, which led to Wimol’s arrest earlier this week in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 

The suspect is also wanted for two cases of theft in Phichit and in Bangkok’s Min Buri district. Police said the suspect, calling himself “The Southern Warrior” on Facebook, generated sympathy by saying that he worked as a security official in the restive deep South, before his victims agreed to meet him. He then allegedly violated them sexually later. 

Police said that Wimol never showed his face clearly on webcam while chatting online so he could not be identified. This prompted police to set up a chat session with the 14yearold victim before they sought court approval for an arrest warrant.