Kanchanaburi: A family, fed up with the situation, has filed a police report against the director of a school in Kanchanaburi province for allegedly molesting 11 female students by touching their breasts. They vow to pursue the case to the fullest extent. The director denies the allegations before resigning just two months before his retirement.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Paweena Hongsakul, President of the Paweena Foundation for Children and Women, led 11 female students, aged 10-15, from a school in Si Sawat District, Kanchanaburi Province (grades 5-9), along with their families, to the Kanchanaburi Provincial Police Headquarters to file a complaint against the school principal. The principal is accused of luring the children and sexually abusing them by touching their breasts for over two years.
The story began when a parent of a student learned from their child that the school principal was luring female students into sexual harassment by touching their breasts. The parent then inquired with other parents, who confirmed that the victimized students stated the principal would call them to his home for haircuts, then reach behind them to touch their breasts and threaten expulsion or cut their scholarships if they told their parents. The students were terrified and dared not tell their parents. Some students had been subjected to this for years, with the incidents occurring hundreds of times. After learning this from their child, the parent gathered information from other parents and students, discovering that more than 20 students had been victimized in this manner. When the principal was questioned at the school, he denied the allegations and claimed the students were imagining things because of social media use. The parents then sought help from the Paveena Foundation, leading to today's police repo rt.
Ms. Paweena stated that today, 11 families of female student victims came to file complaints, but some students were not yet ready to come today. The victims have been placed under the care of the Children and Family Shelter in Kanchanaburi Province to prevent intimidation while they provide information to the multidisciplinary team. Interviews will begin on July 13th.
The commander of the Kanchanaburi Provincial Police revealed that they are coordinating with several relevant agencies to ensure the well-being of the female student. The police will also expedite the questioning of the student, the victim, and her parents to ensure fairness to all parties.
The school principal has submitted his resignation, but the disciplinary investigation is still proceeding.
Akranan Kankittinant, Deputy Minister of Education and Director of the Center for the Protection of Rights and Freedoms at the Ministry of Education, revealed that this incident is serious and unacceptable. He has ordered the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) and regional education offices to form a committee to investigate the serious disciplinary violations by the school principal. Even though the principal submitted their resignation on July 3rd and is due to retire in two months, the disciplinary process will continue. If found guilty, the highest penalty will be dismissal, which will result in the loss of all pension benefits. He assured parents that justice will be served to the victims.