Erikki Aal Tonen, 64, died after being attacked in his room at the Grand Condotel Hotel near Jomtien. He was stabbed over 50 times early on Tuesday morning.

Tonen, a lawyer who had lived and worked in Thailand for many years, was attacked after a liaison with his mia noi (minor wife), a bargirl arrested by police on Thursday.

Nipaporn Phuto, 26, from Nakhon Sawan, has told police her Thai boyfriend Pakpum "Ed" Bpo-eam, 26, had a violent struggle with Tonen after entering the Finn's flat several hours after she went to visit the foreigner.

Tonen, who had had one leg amputated, was rushed to Pattaya Memorial Hospital but staff were unable to revive him.

The Finn's Thai wife Yaowadee, 48, is also a lawyer. She told police they ran a law business mainly catering to Finnish customers requiring visas and formation of company businesses.

Closed circuit cameras at Tonen's hotel captured footage of a man and woman riding a bike very fast from the building after the incident. A hotel guard said the woman had visited Tonen regularly for about one year.

The Pattaya Daily News said in a report on the arrest of Nipaporn that she was six months pregnant. The case is being closely followed by the Finnish Consulate and expatriates in Pattaya.

Meanwhile, a man appeared in the district court on Koh Samui yesterday following the rape of a 20-year-old Australian woman early on Wednesday.

Somchai Duanglai, 26, from Sakon Nakhon, was arrested at a rented house near Samui airport, police have said. He is understood to have pleaded guilty to the theft of items from the woman's hotel room near Chaweng but has reportedly denied raping her.

Somchai was caught after police traced calls from a mobile phone he stole from the woman's room.

By Jim Pollard

Daily Xpress