British businessman, 39, arrested over 'acid attack on apartment caretaker' in Thailand
A British businessman has been arrested over an alleged horror acid attack on an apartment caretaker in Thailand.
Richard William Langford, 39, from Burton-on-Trent, reportedly splashed Wirawan Aphimethithamrong, 43, with corrosive toilet cleaner while looking for his girlfriend at her former apartment in Pattaya.
He was said to have barged into the property on June 23, knocking on doors despite being told she had already moved out.
Staff ushered him away for causing a disturbance, but he allegedly returned moments later and hurled acid at an unsuspecting Wirawan.
The employee screamed as the corrosive acid ate through her skin, leaving painful blisters and burns.
Richard then fled while colleagues called emergency services for help.
Harrowing footage showed paramedics flushing Wirawan's wounds as she lay covered in bandages on a gurney. She was heard sobbing as the water hit her injuries before she was rushed to Chonburi Hospital for treatment.
Police today tracked down the Brit following a tip-off that he was arguing with his Thai girlfriend Supranee Penphon, 38, at a restaurant just 500 metres away from the scene.
They found the Brit demanding money and his passport back from the Thai woman to go back to the UK. He was found to have been overstaying in the country since February.
Richard, who runs a construction firm in his home town, said he had been searching for Supranee at the apartment because she had previously stayed there.
Recounting the alleged attack on the caretaker, he claimed he was threatened with a machete first.
He said: 'I didn't realise what I had. I didn't even realise that that happened. But basically, I bought some cleaning products to clean the toilet and then, because she wouldn't get away from me, and I don't hit women. We don't do that in England, and she pulled out a machete on me.
'She's done it once before, and I tried to get the machete off her, and I cut all my hands open. Ask her about that. That was about a month ago.
'But I didn't pull it out until the fifth time. I didn't know what it was. Even if it was a bottle of water, I'd have f****** done that.'
He allegedly said he had no intention of hurting the caretaker, insisting he only 'acted in self-defence'.
Footage shows the red-eyed tourist asking for a lighter as police put him in handcuffs and hauled him away.
When asked if he wanted to apologise, he suddenly went on a tirade against his ex-girlfriend while being dragged onto a police truck.
Shocking onlookers on the street, he yelled: 'She's given me Hepatitis B and chlamydia. She's got me banned from 10 hotels. She's robbed everything from me. Three phones. I'm not apologising to her.'
Supranee said she had been in a relationship with Richard for around five months and claimed he often flew into violent rages, damaging property and smashing several mobile phones.
She said she took his passport as he had previously left their accommodation without paying.
The day before the alleged attack, Supranee reportedly confronted him over his drunken behaviour before storming out on him.
Officials said Richard was initially charged with overstaying in Thailand.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Suradech Imjai of the Pattaya City Police Station said: 'We took him in for questioning and found that he had overstayed his visa since February 2026.
'We are now preparing legal action against him for remaining in Thailand after his permission to stay had expired. Deportation proceedings will continue alongside the criminal complaint about the attack on the caretaker.
'The victim is currently receiving treatment at Chonburi Hospital, and officers are coordinating with the family to file a formal complaint against Mr Richard.'
