Students at the school reported to officials that the teacher would require them to make sexually explicit ‘moans’ to be granted back confiscated smartphones during class. A police file has been sent to provincial prosecutors.
A music teacher in Thailand’s southern province of Chumphon has been suspended after he allegedly took a female student to a resort in the Pathio district of the province and raped her on Valentines Day. The 32-year-old man now faces a police investigation and disciplinary action by school authorities. The situation has also been taken up by Thailand’s Education Minister, Nataphol Teepsuwan.
On Sunday, Thailand’s Education minister revealed that a disturbing situation has arisen in the southern province of Chumphon in which a 32-year-old music teacher is suspected of committing sexual offences including the rape and molestation of a 12-year-old student.
The minister promised that appropriate action would be taken following the allegations and that his department has already moved to suspend the teacher’s license. The minister has vowed that in future, there will be zero-tolerance policy to such activity and that any teacher found implicated will be removed from the education system.
‘We are trying to punish this man for his actions. Our legal department is looking into any other objectionable behaviour by this man. We have blacklisted him, which will disqualify him from working as a teacher or working in the education circle,’ the minister said in a statement on the controversy.
Police in Pathio district investigating a complaint into what happened on Valentines day
It is understood that police in the Pathio district of Chumphon have launched an extensive investigation into the teacher’s activities which have led them to explore human trafficking charges against the man.
At the same time, school administrators and officials have also been investigating the school behaviour of the teacher at the centre of the controversy known as Teacher New.
The teacher has strenuously denied the allegations made against him and has already been questioned by police and appeared before a disciplinary enquiry.
Relatives filed a complaint with police after the girl revealed the affair to her family the day after
It is being reported that the 12-year-old girl who exposed the teacher was taken by him on Valentines Day to a resort in the Pathio district of Chumphon and was sexually assaulted and raped.
The girl is reported to have left school on the 15th to return home and there reported what happened to her parents who immediately brought the matter to the police.
Police have revealed CCTV footage showing the teacher driving a white van arriving with the schoolgirl at the resort where the prohibited sexual activity took place.
The age of consent for sexual relations in Thailand is ostensibly 15 years of age. However, a 1997 law to combat prostitution in the kingdom, de facto, raised the barrier to 18 years of age.
Sex with minor under the age of 18 is a compoundable offence even where there is consent given by the younger party.
Police looking at possible human trafficking activity
Police have since then expanded the scope of their enquiries and are exploring the teacher’s behaviour and what happened at the resort last Friday.
They have identified some people on motorbikes collecting the young girl from Room number 8 at the resort sometime after she checked in with her teacher.
A file is being prepared for provincial prosecutors on the matter and police stand ready to investigate the matter further if required to do so.
The teacher is reported to have been arrested this week for questioning but released to attend an official enquiry into his conduct. The man could shortly be rearrested once instructions are received from provincial prosecutors.
Senior officials from the Thai Social Development and Human Security Department are now involved with the case and liaising with police, school authorities and the family at the centre of the controversy.
Shockingly lurid reports after school officials spoke to students of the music teacher about his behaviour
Officials at the school gathered students of Teacher New together this week and were shocked to hear reports from his young students who were allowed to speak freely in a safe environment.
They reported that the teacher would pay close attention to attractive female pupils and would ask sexually explicit questions of them. They also revealed that the teacher would confiscate smartphones and to get them back, students would be required to make sexual moaning noises.
The students told school officials that their experience with the educator had put them in fear of new teachers in general.
School officials noted that the response from the students who had interacted with the now-suspended teacher at the school was consistent concerning his behaviour.
Further reading:
Teachers in Thailand held to a high standard as shocking cases of misconduct with students emerge
