Girl, 10, attacked

Pathum Thani police yesterday arrested a taxi motorcyclist accused of trying to molest a schoolgirl.

The girl's mother had hired him to regularly pick the girl up from school, and the 10-year-old narrowly escaped the attack yesterday when she was rescued by the woman driver of a passing taxi, police said.

The suspect was identified as Yuan Hongsa, 36, a Yasothon native, who has been charged with attempted molestation of a person under 15, and separating a minor from their parents. The girl later told police that Yuan touched her under her skirt at knifepoint, and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it.

The taxi driver, Narinee Thaothep, said she saw the girl running from a petrol station off Pathum Rangsit Road crying for help. Then, Yuan showed up running after the girl, who jumped into the taxi. Narinee said she locked the door just in time. She later called police, who arrived at the scene and apprehended Yuan.