PATTAYA: A Russian man accused of flashing a 10-year-old girl via a chat app and trying to entice her into having sex with him has been arrested at Jomtien beach.
Denis Galinkov, 30, claimed he had intended to chat with the girl's Russian mother, not the child.
He was arrested at Khwanmaung market along Jomtien beach in Bang Lamung district on Tuesday and charged with attempting to deprive a girl aged below 15 years of parental care for sexual molestation, Pol Maj Gen Nanthachart Supamongkhol, chief of Chon Buri police, told a news conference on Tuesday.
The arrest came after a Russian woman filed a complaint with Chon Buri police on Nov 12, alleging that Mr Galinkov had approached her 10-year-old daughter at a hotel in Jomtien beach and later asked for the girl’s user ID on Viber app, so he could chat with her.
They initially chatted about general topics, but he later changed the subject and tried to entice her to have sex with him, the mother alleged.
The woman alleged the suspect kept asking the girl to meet him outside and sent photos of his genitals along with lewd and boastful comments.
Investigators looked into her complaint and then obtained a court warrant for the 30-year-old Russian's arrest.
They used the girl’s mobile phone to chat with the man, posing as her, and arranged to meet him at Jomtien beach.
Mr Galinkov arrived for the meeting - only to be greeted by police, not the girl.
During interrogation, the suspect claimed he had wanted to chat with the Russian mother, not her daughter. Police were not convinced and he was held in custody for legal action.
Also present at the news briefing were Pattaya City police chief Pol Col Apichai Krobphet, provincial immigration police chief Pol Col Somprode Sirisukha and Pattaya tourist inspector Pol Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn.