Chiang Mai deputy police chief suspended over sexual assault allegations

The Chiang Mai Deputy Police Chief has been suspended from duty following allegations of sexually assaulting a woman he had met via Facebook. The incident reportedly took place on November 22, according to the case filed at the Muaeng Jee Police Station in Lamphun Province, case number 426/2023.

The accused, a police lieutenant colonel and a deputy police chief of a district in Chiang Mai, is facing criminal charges of forcibly molesting another person by threat, and using violence, while the other party is unable to resist. The National Police Act B.E 2565, Section 112 (2), (6), considers such behaviour as serious disciplinary misconduct, warranting suspension from duty.

The aforementioned officer has been suspended to await the outcome of the disciplinary investigation, effective from November 28, reported KhaoSod.

The incident occurred at the officer’s residence in the Nong Naam District of Lamphun Province. The victim, a woman, had come to know the officer through Facebook. On the day of the incident, they had arranged to meet for coffee in Chiang Mai with two of her friends.

Later at 4pm, the officer and the victim went to a popular steakhouse in Chiang Mai in the officer’s car, where they had alcoholic drinks until 6pm. The officer, claiming to be too intoxicated to drive, requested the woman to drop him off at his residence in Lamphun.

Along the way, the officer allegedly molested the woman, who had to warn him to stop, or else she wouldn’t drive him home. Upon reaching his residence, the woman asked to use the restroom.

After she came out, the officer allegedly forced her up to the second floor where he attempted to sexually assault her multiple times. However, the woman resisted and subsequently sought help from her relatives.

Considering the severity of the officer’s alleged actions, the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Department has deemed it as a criminal act of forcibly molesting another person by threat, using violence, while the other party is unable to resist. This categorises it as a disciplinary offence under the National Police Act, leading to the formation of an investigation committee and the suspension of the accused officer from duty.