Senior judge suspended after molestation allegations on train

A senior judge has been suspended following allegations of molesting a female court worker during a journey in June. The Judicial Commission decided to suspend the judge with a 14-1 vote after an inquiry panel determined that he had committed a severe disciplinary violation.

In July, a female court stenographer filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), accusing the judge of sexual harassment. According to a source at the commission, she reported that the incident occurred on June 1 while they were travelling on a sleeper train to Chiang Mai for a personnel development activity.

The source detailed that the alleged molestation took place between Sila At Station in Uttaradit and Den Chai Station in Phrae. It is believed that the judge was intoxicated during the incident.

Police Major General Suwat Saengnum, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, instructed the CSD to establish a panel to further investigate the complaint, reported Bangkok Post.

While the investigation continues, the accused judge has been temporarily reassigned to an inactive post at the Office of the President of the Supreme Court.

In related news, a Thai woman is seeking legal action against a Grab driver after he drank alcohol while driving and sexually harassed her. He later tried to enter her condo in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen.

The 20 year old victim, Eye, filed a complaint against the Grab driver, Rattaphum Sisompan, at Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station and handed over a video of the driver attempting to enter her condo at about 4.40am on July 29. Eye explained that she went to a club with her friends and was drunk but she remained conscious and remembered she was sexually harassed.

She booked a ride from the Grab application from the club to her condominium. The route was only 4 kilometres but it took her 20 minutes to get home.