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Published on September 19, 2007

The youths, aged 14 to 16, reportedly snatched the victim - Chonthicha Wimolpreuk - while she was waiting in front of Ayutthaya Grand Ville Housing Estate for a bus to her school on September 10.

The girl's body was found two days later in a rice field behind a hospital in Nakhon Luang district.

Police arrested the suspects yesterday morning (all identified with other names due to their being minors); Big, 16, Kai, 16, Bos, 15, Chong, 15, Boy, 15, and Oart, 14.

They reportedly confessed to police they had raped and killed Chonthicha. They were later taken to Oart's home, where police found a hair clip, some hair and pieces of a schoolgirl's uniform on a pile of rubbish near the house. They also allegedly found pubic hair and semen stains in the house.

Provincial Police Region 1 Lt General Ek Asananont told a press conference at 11am yesterday all six suspects were arrested at Oart's house in Tambon Bor Phong and that all had confessed.

He said the suspects told police they rode motorcycles to look for Chonthicha until they spotted her at a bus stop with three other people.

Ek said that when the three people boarded a company bus the accused forced Chonthicha onto one of the bikes and took her to Oart's house, where they gang raped her. They then took her to a well in a rice field and allegedly raped the girl again.

Ek said the boys feared Chonthicha would tell the police what they had done, so they beat her unconscious and dumped her body into the well and covered it with leaves.

After the arrest, Oart, however, gave a slightly different account. He said they were riding their motorbikes back home when they spotted Chonthicha waiting alone for a bus at about 6am on September 10.

The group offered the girl a ride to school but Chonthicha refused and tried to shout for help - so they took her to Oart's home. The group then gagged and gang-raped her. Oart told police they told her to keep quiet before taking her home, but the girl kept crying and said she would tell her mother.

Oart told police they then took the girl to the rice field before Big, Chong and Bos raped her again. Fearing she would tell the police, Big and Chong beat the girl to death and dumped her body in a well before the group split up.

Right after the arrest, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Deputy Commander Colonel Korn-ek Petchchaiwet said the suspects were unemployed and had a habit of riding motorbikes to visit entertainment places at night in Muang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Uthai districts.

Police discovered they had also abducted a factory worker and gang raped her, but the vic?tim was so afraid she did not file a police compliant, Col Korn-ek alleged.

Police will summon the suspects to Provincial Police Region 1 Office before determining whether to hold a crime re-enactment or not - because of fears the suspects might be attacked by angry onlookers, he said.

Chonthicha's father, Somchai Wimolpreuk thanked the police after arrests, and said the culprits were "a danger to society".

Chonthicha's funeral was held on Monday evening at Wat Hantra.

The Nation

AYUTTHAYA