CHON BURI, THAILAND – A woman at a petrol station near Bang Saen Beach confronted a man allegedly taking covert photos in a women’s restroom, leading to the discovery of more than 1,000 images of women on his phone.
Late-night discovery in petrol station restroom
The victim, Phawida Siangwan, said she used the toilet at a nearby petrol station at about 3 a.m. after visiting Bang Saen Beach when she noticed a suspicious reflection on the wet floor from the neighboring cubicle. At first she believed it might be a supernatural apparition, before realizing it was a person, prompting her to take photos with her phone as evidence.
Confrontation and attempted escape
According to her account, Phawida waited outside the restroom until someone exited, and shortly afterward a man came out, whom she confronted together with her partner. The man offered to delete the pictures but initially refused to allow any inspection of his phone and tried to flee before being restrained with the help of her partner and petrol station staff.
Over 1,000 images of women found
When the phone was checked, Phawida said four photos of her and more than 1,000 other images of women were discovered, including clear pictures of schoolgirls. Deleted files were also found in the device’s recycle bin, which she said raised fears that images might already have been shared or distributed.
Licensed lawyer with prior incidents
In the man’s car, those involved reportedly found a full lawyer’s gown, numerous legal documents and a genuine lawyer ID card, whose photo matched the man’s appearance. Using seized chat logs, Phawida contacted the man’s girlfriend, who allegedly admitted she knew about his behavior and said he had previously been arrested over similar incidents.
Legal steps and concerns over safety
Although the suspect was released on bail after the incident, Phawida announced she would pursue legal action to protect her rights and prevent further offenses.
“It is important that Bang Saen, as a tourist destination, remains a safe place where visitors can use toilets and public facilities without having to be afraid,”
said Phawida Siangwan, victim, according to the portal Khaosod.
Privacy fears after alleged systematic recording
The discovery of more than a thousand images on one phone and the suspicion of systematic behavior caused shock and concern, according to the report cited from The Thaiger. The case raised renewed questions about safety in public restrooms and whether stronger laws against voyeurism or additional protective measures at public places were needed.