SONGKHLA: A man accused of raping a high school student at a dormitory he owned in Hat Yai has been denied bail after police described him as a flight risk.
Police investigators took Krissada Yanwisetpakdee, 46, to the Songkhla provincial court on Saturday to seek approval for the first round of detention for 12 days pending further investigation. A suspect can be detained for up to seven 12-day periods or 84 days before beign formally indicted.
Mr Krissada, wearing a face mask, sunglasses and a cap, refused to talk to reporters when he was escorted to the court.
The victim shows marks left by a stun gun used to immobilise her. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)
The man was arrested in a soi in Hat Yai district, not far from the Landmark Residence where the alleged rape took place. Police have pressed assault and rape charges against Mr Krissada, but he denied them and insisted he would fight the case in court.
The arrest was made after a Mathayom Suksa 5 (Grade 11) student from Satun province complained to police that the dormitory owner had immobilised her with a stun gun in her room on April 11. Her roommates were away at the time.
Deputy national police chief Wirachai Songmetta went to Hat Yai on Friday to follow up on the progress of the case.
Prai Pattanano, the mayor of Hat Yai municipality, said an inspection found that Mr Krissada’s Landmark Residence had not been registered as a dormitory. As such, the municipality had no authority to examine its tax payments since that is the prerogative of the Hat Yai district office.
The municipality would inspect to see whether the dormitory was illegally modified or not, said the mayor.