Businessman arrested for raping schoolgirl denies accusation

Police arrested a Thai businessman accused of raping a 13 year old schoolgirl yesterday. The accused admitted to sexually harassing the victim but denied raping her.

The non-profit organisation Win Win Foundation revealed to the public on Wednesday, August 23, that a 67 year old businessman, named Charnpit “Charn” Sunthonkloi, lured a schoolgirl to work at his company and later took her to a hotel where he sexually assaulted her.

The foundation added that officers from the Sam Rong Police Station attempted to persuade the victim and her family to withdraw their legal process and settle a compensation package with the perpetrator. The foundation demanded that officers provide justice to the victim and charge the alleged rapist.

The Commander of the Kanchanaburi Provincial Police, Pairoj Kumphai, reported at 11am yesterday that the police had already issued an arrest warrant for Charn. Their working process was slow because officers needed to make an appointment for a youth specialist to question the teenage victim.

Pairoj added that the police did not urge the family to drop the complaint and did not help the Charn escape from legal punishment.

At 4pm yesterday, the Sam Rong Police Station officers arrested Charn at his house in the province. He was initially charged with taking a child under 15 years old from the person’s parents or guardians. Charn was taken to the police station for further questioning.

At the police station, Charn met the advisory director of the Win Win Foundation, Chalida Palamart. He told Chalida that he did not rape the victim but admitted to harassing her by touching and kissing her. Charn apologised to Chalida and insisted that he had committed the crime for the first time.

The police reported that Charn may face more charges after the questioning. They would also arrange more questioning between the youth specialist and the victim in order to obtain clear information on the case.

ORIGINAL STORY: Thai businessman rapes 13 year old girl who falls victim to job scam

A non-profit organisation demanded the Royal Thai Police punish a businessman who raped a 13 year old schoolgirl after he lured the girl into working as a maid at his company in the central province of Kanchanaburi.

The Win Win Foundation revealed to the public that the parents of the victim reached out and informed the organisation that a female director at Nong Pang Tru School in Kanchanaburi lured students into providing sex services.

The director, Thaparneau Maneesuwan, denied involvement but exposed the businessman named Charn, who deceived the school and the alleged victim.

According to Thaparneau, Charn told her that he wanted to help students get out of debt and poverty by offering part-time maid positions at his company, saying the students could work there at weekends and earn 350 baht per day.

Thaparneau stated that the company was quite far from the school and no students applied for the positions but added she knew another schoolgirl who was interested in the part-time maid job. Later, two students aged 13 years old applied for the position and worked together with the maid at the businessman’s company.

Charn later complained to Thaparneau that the maid was lazy so dismissed her and one student, adding he would keep one student to work at the company.

Thaparneau stated she received a call from the student’s parents at night on Sunday, August 13 that Charn took the student to a hotel and raped her.

The victim, A, revealed the whole situation to a psychologist. She explained that Charn picked her up to work on the incident day. He stopped at a drugstore and informed her that he would buy emergency contraceptive pills.

According to A, Charn took her to a hotel and forced her into a room. He ordered a bottle of beer and drank it while ordering her to take a shower. She begged him to let her go but he refused. Charn then asked her to massage him before he sexually assaulted her.

Charn gave her 350 baht and dropped her at the bus stop where he picked her up. A said she was not ready to travel back home and decided to visit a friend’s house. Her friend noticed her stress and worry and decided to ask her. She revealed the details to the friend and the friend’s parents, who later informed A’s parents.

A revealed that she filed a complaint at Sam Rong Police Station but the police did not issue a charge against Charn. Officers urged her to drop the charge and instead try and make an agreement with Charn on some compensation.

The advisory director of the Win Win Foundation, Chalida Palamart, said the sexual assault case could not be settled as the police suggested. The rapist must face legal punishment for what he has done and the girl must be compensated appropriately.

Chalida reported that the foundation had contacted the relevant departments to take care of the victim both physically and mentally and would follow up on the case closely to get justice for the girl.

The school director insisted that the school was not involved in the crime and would report the issue to Kanchanaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 1.