A man was supposed to guide her back to the hotel in Krabi, but instead, he sexually assaulted her.
Hannah Gavios, 23, from Bayside in New York described her horrific ordeal that ended up with her plunging off a 150ft cliff whilst she tried to flee her attacker.
Credit: thephuketnews.com
She recalled how she got lost on pitch-black Railay Beach in Krabi and went into a local tourist shop to seek for directions back to her hotel.
“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 at night so they told me to follow one of their workers.”
Ms Gavios – who has waived her anonymity – described how he guided her up a hilly path, but though her gut instinct told her otherwise than to trust the man, she just followed through as she was exhausted after travelling.
“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”
And she wasn’t wrong.
“While we were 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,” said Ms Gavios to Daily Mail.
“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.”
In her attempt to flee in complete darkness, Ms Gavios ran straight off the edge of 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…I felt completely vulnerable.”
Her attacker, Apai Ruengvorn, 28, who has since come forward with the crime, scrambled after her and sexually molested her as she lay helpless.
Credit: Matchion via dailymail.co.uk
‘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.” said Ms Gavios
“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 on me. He didn’t rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die… He kept saying ‘no police no police’.”
A couple of hours later, Ruengvorn left and later returned with other people who raised the alarm and called in the authorities. Ruengvorn has since admitted to the attack.
Ms Gavios is now being treated at Bangkok Hospital in Phuket for her fractured spine, while Ruengvorn will face several years behind bars.
To fellow Malaysian travellers, know how to take care of yourselves when you go on your adventures.
