LAMPANG: A young man was caught for allegedly assaulting a woman, taking off her clothes and then dumping her motorcycle in a reservoir in a fit of anger over the woman’s refusal to pay him 1,000 baht for the sale of drugs.

Police took Nithibet Yawut, 24, to the station on Friday for interrogation.

Earlier, a motorcycle was found in Huay Sai reservoir in Mae Mo district on Thursday. A local resident who found the vehicle alerted the village head, who immediately contacted police for fear the rider might have drowned.

While rescue workers were preparing to search for the body in the reservoir, a bloodstained naked woman emerged from a nearby forest.

During the interrogation, Mr Nithibet allegedly confessed to the assault. He told police he went to drink at a karaoke shop where the woman worked as a waitress. He demanded the woman repay 1,000 baht she allegedly owed him for some illicit drugs she had bought from him.

As the woman had not yet paid the money, he waited for her until the shop closed then went to the nearby reservoir to drink beer. He said he again asked her to repay him but she refused and tried to leave.

Mr Nithibet said at this point he tried to stop her but the woman hit him. He then allegedly punched her, took off her clothes and hit her several times with a stick until she collapsed.