Cops say rape story debunked

Police investigators have concluded there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a young British woman's claim that she was raped on Koh Tao in Surat Thani in June, as reported in the UK media.

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said yesterday the young woman was questioned recently by Thai investigators but was unable to give details about the rapist or the crime scene.

Forensic tests found no traces of semen on her shirt, only traces of other DNA, he said.

Investigators looked into all aspects of the case, starting with an interrogation of officers at the police station responsible for the area, he said.

They inspected the alleged crime scene and sent people to question the purported victim in the UK with the aim of bringing back evidence for further examination.

However, all lingering doubt about what really transpired has now been cleared up, Pol Gen Chakthip said.

Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, acting chief of the Immigration Bureau, and other senior police also attended yesterday's briefing.

Investigators were sent to the UK to verify claims by the 19-year-old she was drugged, raped and robbed on Sairee beach of Koh Tao on the night of June 25.

She claims she fled to the neighbouring island of Phangan, later returning to Koh Tao to file a complaint with police, who she accused of refusing to investigate her rape complaint, instead only registering details of the robbery.

Pol Lt Col Piyapong Boonkaew, chief inspector of the Koh Tao police, said he was among those who questioned the woman in the UK.

She was shown photos of the beach where the rape allegedly occurred but but unable to identify it as the crime scene and could not describe her attacker, he said.

"We brought back ... her grey T-shirt," he said, adding DNA tests for semen were negative. Police have blacklisted her from Thailand.