The Thanyaburi Provincial Court yesterday denied bail to a 38-year-old photographer arrested and charged in Pathum Thani on Thursday with raping contestants taking part in the Miss Universe Thailand 2021 beauty pageant.
The family of Thanawat Wisetnarakul submitted a bail request to the court and proposed that the suspect wear a monitoring device.
However, the court rejected the request on grounds that the charges were too serious and he may flee.
Mr Thanawat was arrested in Pathum Thani's Khlong Luang district on Thursday afternoon by a police commando team after the same court issued a warrant for his arrest on Wednesday.
Also on Thursday, two women, accompanied by lawyer Saranya Wangsukcharoen, filed a complaint against Mr Thanawat with Lumpini police station, accusing him of rape.
They were among the 30 finalists taking part in the Miss Universe Thailand 2021 pageant.
Lumpini police superintendent, Pol Col Chakkarit Chosungnern, said the station would seek to detain Mr Thanawat so he could acknowledge the charges filed against him there.
He said one victim claimed she was attacked while taking part in a pageant beauty camp at Nakhon Ratchasima's Khao Yai and in a Bangkok hotel in Lumpini last month.
The other contestant claimed she was raped at a pageant event on Oct 22 in Chon Buri.
Ms Saranya said her legal team had compiled evidence to support the charges against Mr Thanawat.
Mr Thanawat has reportedly admitted to having sex with the two women but was quoted as saying that intercourse was consensual.
She said other contestants indicated they would file sexual assault complaints against Mr Thanawat and the legal team would help them if they decided to pursue the charges.
It was not clear how many other contestants may have been attacked by the suspect.