PUBLISHED : 22 Jan 2026 at 16:53
Officials arrest a homeless man in a deserted building in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi on Wednesday night. (Photo: Chaiwat Satyaem)
PHETCHABURI - Police began rounding up homeless people in places along Cha-am beach as part of a drive to prevent crimes such as the brutal murder in adjacent Hua Hin, where the detention of the suspect was extended on Thursday.
The two tourist towns about 200km south of Bangkok have been shocked by the robbery and killing of a hotel receptionist early Monday in downtown Hua Hin. The murder suspect was arrested the following day.
On Wednesday night, administrative officials, police and security volunteers in Cha-am teamed up to search the district to round up h…
PUBLISHED : 22 Jan 2026 at 16:53
Officials arrest a homeless man in a deserted building in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi on Wednesday night. (Photo: Chaiwat Satyaem)
PHETCHABURI - Police began rounding up homeless people in places along Cha-am beach as part of a drive to prevent crimes such as the brutal murder in adjacent Hua Hin, where the detention of the suspect was extended on Thursday.
The two tourist towns about 200km south of Bangkok have been shocked by the robbery and killing of a hotel receptionist early Monday in downtown Hua Hin. The murder suspect was arrested the following day.
On Wednesday night, administrative officials, police and security volunteers in Cha-am teamed up to search the district to round up homeless people. They combed through alleys and tourist spots including the popular beach.
In one deserted building, they found a homeless man from the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, also the home province of the Hua Hin murder suspect.
Officials recorded the profile of the homeless man and handed him over to social welfare officials, who plan to provide him with occupational training so that he can get a job and would not be homeless.
Cha-am district chief Kaew Kongwong said he would ask the owner of the deserted building to seal it off to prevent any homeless people from staying inside.
“All officials concerned will clear homeless people from tourist destinations along Cha-am beach to prevent the likes of the Hua Hin crime and guarantee safety for visitors,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Hua Hin Provincial Court on Thursday extended the detention of the murder suspect for 12 days as police continue to gather evidence in the murder of the female hotel receptionist.
Rattikorn Yingyod, a 36-year-old native of Nakhon Ratchasima, is accused of using a steel pipe to repeatedly strike the head of Wirin Thaolipo, 35, a front-desk receptionist at a hotel in Soi Hua Hin 88/1.
The crime occurred at about 3am on Monday while the receptionist, a mother of three children, was sleeping at her counter. The murderer, who was caught on CCTV, made off with her two mobile phones and wallet.
The court approved the detention extension, reasoning that the crime was severe and that the suspect might escape if he was released on bail.
The suspect did not seek bail and was taken to the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Prison.