5 teachers, 2 others accused of sexually assaulting 2 schoolgirls

A public school in the upper northeastern Mukdahan province has suspended 5 teachers who stand accused of repeated sexual assaults against a 14 year old girl. 2 school alumni are also accused of taking part, and all 7 are said to have taken video of the acts.

The assaults reportedly began in March last year but the victim’s grandmother only learned of them this month. She filed a complaint with police last Sunday and they obtained warrants to arrest the men. The 7 face charges of sexually abusing a girl aged under 15 and depriving her of parental care.

The suspects surrendered to police and were sent to court, where they were released on bail of 200,000 baht each pending further investigation.

Prasert Boonruang, permanent secretary for the Education Ministry says the teachers have been removed from the school and transferred to office jobs pending a disciplinary investigation, and Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan has been informed of the incidents.

The grandmother of the student told police that the 5 teachers and two other men sexually assaulted her granddaughter at various places throughout the school compound and took video of the acts, starting in March last year.

Police learned that the teachers also threatened to make the girl repeat classes if she refused to have sex with them. The girl dared not tell anyone about the incidents until her grandmother learned about them.

There have been reports that another girl at the same school was also sexually abused by the same 7 suspects.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post