A female backpacker who got lost on a beach at night in Krabi, Thailand, suffered a traumatic incident after falling off a cliff while fleeing a sex attacker. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, she was molested by the same attacker as she had damaged her back from the fall and was unable to move.

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23-year-old Hannah Gavios had asked for help back to her hotel at a local tourist shop. But instead of showing her the way, one of the staff members led her into the jungle where they started to climb a mountain. She followed him not knowing she was in danger.

The man then proceeded to hold her down and rip off her clothes. Amazingly, she fought back and bit off part of his ear, but when she ran away from the scene she fell down a 150ft cliff. The poor girl fractured her spine and damaged her head and as she lay there unable to move, the attacker named Apai Ruengvorn sexually molested her. What an absolute sick bastard.

After a couple of ours he left, but what’s even madder is that he returned later with help and Hannah was swiftly taken to hospital. So he was OK to sexually abuse her, but cared enough that she wouldn’t die. How thoughtful of him.

Ruengvorn has since admitted to his crimes and is now facing several years behind bars. Hannah described the situation:

I really thought I was going to die.

It was dark around 11pm and the only way to get back to my accommodation was by crossing the cliffs.

I went inside a tourist shop and asked for help back to my hotel. They said it was dangerous to do at night so they told me to follow one of their workers.

I didn’t get the best feeling about him but I was tired and wanted to get home. I’d been travelling for 16 hours so I guess I wasn’t feeling myself.

I followed him up this trail and I was asking him ‘is this the right way’. We were going up this steep mountain and using a flash light and I started panicking.

While he was walking he grabbed me and was holding me down and trying to take off my clothes.

I started punching him in the face and beating him up and biting off his ear. I was biting his ear so hard it almost came off. His ear was half torn off.

He was in pain and asked me to stop, so we shook hands and he stopped but I was still nervous and he was still trying to harass me so there was no choice but to run.

I started walking back to where I came from. Once there was distance between us I started running.

It was pitch black and before I knew it I was in mid air falling off a cliff. I was honestly thinking I wouldn’t survive.

I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever.

I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldn’t move anything.

He heard me screaming and moaning and he came down and climbed down the mountain and starting crying and praying.

He was feeling very guilty. I was begging him to call for help. He got on the phone and started calling and I thought somebody was coming but nobody came.

I was stuck with this crazy person. I was in the woods in the bushes with wild snakes crawling on me while he was still continuing to harass me.

He got on top of me. He took of his pants and masturbated.

He didn’t rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die.

I honestly didn’t know what to do. I just had to remain calm. whenever I screamed he was choking me so I had to try to keep cool and stay friendly with him.

As soon as it got lighter I started calling for help. He kept saying ‘no police no police.’

Eventually he left in the early hours of the morning and then I started screaming and then heard a voice. It was him with his co-workers and an ambulance came.

My parents flew here from New York and now I’m much better.

I’m taking one day at a time. But I’m really glad my legs aren’t broken. I want to stay in Asia and return to teaching in Vietnam.

The police have told me that the man will stay in prison for between five and ten years.

Well, it’s good to know that she’s not taking this as a common occurrence and will carry on travelling. And also that her attacker will get the comeuppance he deserves.

I wonder if Thai prisons are anything like Filipino ones? If so, I bet he’s dreading it.