Men get long prison terms in Thailand for raping Russian tourists

Three men convicted of raping and robbing two Russian tourists received long prison terms Wednesday in Thailand. A judge in Pattaya Provincial Court sentenced Anuwat Wat-on to 46 1/2 years, the Bangkok Post reported. Wichian Jaija, 36, was given a 41-year term and Thongcai Jandee, 21, 21 1/2 years. The victims, identified only as Maria and Anastasia, said they were attacked on Boxing Day, Dec. 26, 2012, as they returned to their hotel in Pattaya, a popular beach resort about 80 miles southeast of Bangkok. The women said they were forced into a pickup truck by a man armed with a knife and gun, while the other men waited in the truck. They were driven to a closed guard shack near a reservoir, where they were forced to undress and then sexually assaulted. The men then drove off with their smartphones and cash. Wichian, Thongcai and Anuwat were arrested a week later. At the sentencing, Judge Apichart Themnoo said the crime damaged Thailand's reputation as a safe vacation place for foreign tourists.