Drug addict attacks Thai teacher after school hours (video)

A drug addict surrendered to police after attacking a Thai teacher at a school in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The suspect claimed the victim hurt him first, so he acted in self-defence.

Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station and Dhammanan Chiang Rai Rescue Team were alerted to the physical assault at Baan Pong Kluea School at about 1.40pm on Saturday, January 20. The 41 year old teacher, Autcharaporn, was rushed to a hospital with a mouth wound and bruises all over her face and body. It was later confirmed that three of her ribs were broken in the attack.

The attack took place when Autcharaporn was alone at the school to secure the school grounds over the weekend. Security duties fell to Thai teachers following a move by the school to reduce the number of caretakers. Each teacher had to take turns staying at the school to ensure the safety of the premises.

Over the weekend, two children who had come to play at the school witnessed the incident. However, they were too frightened to assist their teacher as the attacker was wielding a knife. Instead, they sought help from a male teacher to aid Autcharaporn.

Security camera footage reveals the attacker approaching teacher Autcharaporn, who attempted to defend herself with a stick. Despite the presence of the weapon, the attacker showed no fear and proceeded to physically assault the teacher.

Autcharaporn suffered punches and kicks, while the assailant attempted to drag her into a classroom.

Fortunately, a male teacher arrived at the school in a pickup truck. Autcharaporn then ran out of the classroom to get help. The attacker immediately fled the scene after seeing another teacher. The children said the attacker got away on his motorcycle.

Rape history

The attacker was later identified as a 38 year old man named Nirun. He was hired to trim trees inside the school and had been working there for three weeks before the incident. He turned himself in at Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station yesterday, January 21.

Police believed that Nirun planned to sexually assault the teacher but he denied this charge. He claimed that he was walking past the teacher and dropped his belongings on the floor which scared the teacher. He said he apologised and clarified to the teacher that he came to work at the school.

Nirun said that the teacher did not believe him, grabbed a knife and tried to attack him. This made him angry and he physically attacked the teacher, as can be seen in the security camera footage. He later admitted that he had taken 10 methamphetamine tablets, better known as Yaba, before coming to work at the school.

Officers were not convinced by Nirun’s confession after they discovered he was jailed for two years for raping a 14 year old girl in 2011. Officers initially charged Nirun with physically assaulting another person leading to a serious injury. The charge relating to his sexual intent would be brought after the police gathered sufficient evidence.

The physical assault charge results in imprisonment from six months to 10 years and a fine from 10,000 to 200,000 baht under Section 397 of the Criminal Law.

This case raises concerns about the safety of Thai teachers and the security duties that go beyond their teaching responsibilities. After it became a top hashtag on Thai Twitter, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) proposed a plan to hire 14,000 caretakers to look after schools and ease the burden of teachers on the Office of the Prime Minister.

OBEC urged schools and community leaders in each area to discuss and find residents to guard schools while waiting for the plan to be approved.

ในโรงเรียนก็ไม่ปลอดภัย! อุทาหรณ์ครูสาว "อยู่เวรโรงเรียน" คนเดียว คลิปเหตุการณ์ที่จังหวัดเชียงราย ครูเวรสาวถูกคนร้ายทำร้ายจนบาดเจ็บแล้วจะลากไปข่มขืน โชคดีมีคนช่วยไว้ทัน

ครูซี่โครงหัก 3 ซี่ ล่าสุด คนก่อเหตุได้ติดต่อเข้ามอบตัวที่ สภ.เมืองเชียงราย… pic.twitter.com/Qj4tKsWZUC

— Red Skull (@RedSkullxxx) January 21, 2024