Thai police have arrested a 37-year-old tourist from Uzbekistan accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a restaurant on the popular resort island of Phuket today.
Police at Tha Chatchai station said officers were alerted at 22:35 on Saturday after reports that a foreign tourist had molested a minor at the Golden Cat restaurant in Mai Khao, a coastal area in northern Phuket near the island’s international airport.
The suspect, identified as Firuz, was dining at the restaurant at the time of the incident. Police said restaurant staff and customers restrained him before officers arrived.
According to the victim’s statement, at about 22.20 she was leaving the restaurant’s toilet when the man blocked her path, dragged her back inside and touched her chest. She screamed for help, prompting staff and patrons to intervene.
Police took the suspect into custody and transferred him to Tha Chatchai police station for further investigation. He faces charges related to sexual assault, police said.
