A police manhunt is underway after a receptionist was killed during an apparent robbery at a hotel in the centre of Hua Hin, authorities said.
Police said the victim, a 35-year-old female receptionist, was found seriously injured behind the reception counter of a hotel in Soi Hua Hin 88/1 in the early hours of Monday. She was taken to hospital by rescue workers but later died from her injuries.
Officers from Hua Hin Police Station said they were alerted to the attack shortly after it occurred and rushed to the scene to begin an investigation. A metal bar believed to have been used in the assault was recovered from the area.
Investigators said CCTV footage showed a male suspect loitering around the reception area during the night. The footage later showed the man climbing over the counter and attacking the victim before taking personal items and fleeing the hotel.
Police said the suspect was identified after CCTV images were compared with civil registration records. He has been named as Rattikorn Yingyod, 36, who has a previous criminal record, according to investigators.
An arrest warrant was approved late on Monday by the Hua Hin Provincial Court, and police said efforts were under way to locate and detain the suspect.
Police step up search across Hua Hin
Officers from Police Region 7 have been deployed across the district to assist with the search. Police said they were confident the suspect would be arrested and urged anyone with information to come forward.
News of the killing has caused shock among local residents and people working in the tourism sector. Hua Hin is one of Thailand’s best-known seaside destinations, and violent crime of this nature is rare in the area.
Police said the investigation is continuing and further details will be released as they become available.