A tragic murder occurred at a hotel in Hua Hin, Thailand, where a 35-year-old female receptionist was killed during a robbery while working alone on the night shift.
The victim, identified as Wirin, was attacked by 36-year-old suspect Rittikorn Yingyot, who allegedly robbed and beat her to death, leaving behind three young children. The horrifying incident was witnessed in real time by her boyfriend, Komkrit, through a video call.
According to a report by The Thaiger, Wirin had taken on the night shift to support her three children as a single mother. Her colleagues said she worked the difficult hours out of necessity, unaware it would lead to tragedy. Her children were left orphaned overnight.
Komkrit, who had been dating Wirin for a short period, said she was afraid of working the night shift alone, prompting him to stay connected with her through video calls for reassurance. On the night of the incident, Wirin complained of stomach pain and took medication before resting briefly. She asked Komkrit to wake her at 3.10am so she could resume work.
During the video call, Komkrit suddenly saw a stranger climb over the hotel reception counter and attack Wirin with a metal rod, repeatedly striking her on the head. Despite shouting her name through the screen, the call was abruptly disconnected amid the chaos.
Unable to reach her after repeated attempts, Komkrit rushed to the hotel on his motorcycle, a journey that took about 10 minutes. When he arrived, Wirin had already succumbed to her injuries, and the suspect had fled the scene.
Thai police arrested Rittikorn the following day, locating him hiding in bushes near a railway track about five kilometres from the hotel. The suspect confessed to the crime, telling police he stole two mobile phones, a black bag, and 360 baht in cash (about RM46.88), which he claimed to have spent on food. One of the phones was later reported lost.
A neighbour described Rittikorn as a long-time troublemaker in his former community, adding that residents only felt relief after he moved away to Hua Hin.
Police investigations are ongoing.
