• Published: 20/02/2012 at 07:20 PM
• Online news:BangkokPost

A taxi driver who says he is HIV-positive has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly robbing and raping at least 10 passengers, Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy chief Saroj Phromcharoen police said on Monday.

Police received a report from a couple who hired Kaew Sangmuang, the 43-year-old cab driver, to transport them and their belongings, including a notebook computer, to their condominium in Ratchathewi district on Feb 15, Pol Maj Gen Saroj said.

The couple said the cab driver, after arriving at the condominium, told them that he had taken out all of their belongings. After the taxi left the couple discovered that their notebook computer was missing.

Mr Kaew on Feb 18 phoned the couple, demanding 6,000 baht in return for their notebook computer. They agreed to a meeting at a shopping mall in Lad Prao on the same day.

Bangkok police on Feb 20, 2012 have arrested a taxi driver for allegedly robbing or raping at least 10 passengers. (Photo POST TODAY)

The couple then reported what happened to police and the cab driver was arrested at the shopping mall that day.

Pol Maj Gen Saroj said police found nine ID cards, two bank passbooks and other documents belonging to other people, three pawn tickets, two ATM cards and 22 SIM cards inside his taxi.

Mr Kaew confessed to police that he used a knife to threaten passengers and had raped at least 10 women. He then forced them to withdraw cash from their accounts via ATM machines, took the money from them and drove away.

Pol Maj Gen Saroj said the taxi driver also admitted he tricked female passengers into having sex with him. He first created a sense of trust by giving them ATM cards stolen from his previous victims. Later, when the women went to the ATM machines to withdraw money he would drive away with their money and belongings.

Mr Kaew said he would then sell or pawn the stolen belongings.

The cab driver also confessed that he is HIV-positive but claimed he always used a condom with his victims.

He usually drove his cab from 5am to 8pm around Huay Kwang, Ratchada and Lad Prao, the deputy metropolitan police chief said.