Thai MP with history of sexual assaults accused of raping Taiwanese woman
Police issued an arrest warrant for a Thai Progress Party MP for allegedly raping a Taiwanese woman at a hotel in Chiang Mai province on January 9.
The Taiwanese woman filed a complaint against MP Chaiyamphawan “Puaut” Munpianjit at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station following the incident, which took place at 2am on January 9. The alleged assault occurred at a hotel in the Mueang district of the province.
According to a report by Matichon, the woman informed police that she had met the MP at a bar in Chiang Mai city centre. He allegedly offered to escort her back to her hotel and subsequently raped her.
The victim insisted that she did not consent to sex with Chaiyamphawan. A medical examination also revealed traces of sexual assault. The victim has since returned to her home country after the complaint.
Police investigated into the complaint and later issued an arrest warrant for Chaiyamphawan on February 4. He is accused of raping another person through threats, force, or violence.
If convicted, he faces a prison sentence of between four and 20 years and a fine ranging from 80,000 to 400,000 baht according to Section 276 of the Criminal Law.
History of alleged sexual assaults
Due to Chaiyamphawan’s position as an MP, officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station submitted a request to the House of Representatives for permission to detain him for questioning. Officers must wait for a decision on the matter.
Matichon reported that attempts were made to contact Chaiyamphawan following the sexual assault allegation. However, he refused to answer calls.
Chaiyamphawan is a former member of the Move Forward Party (MFP), now renamed the People’s Party. He was expelled in 2023 following allegations of sexual assaults made by three victims, including his assistant.
The first victim alleged that Chaiyamphawan invited her to an entertainment venue and took her back to his condominium when she was intoxicated. He then raped her and later requested to have sex with her on multiple occasions without her consent.
The second and third victims reported that Chaiyamphawan had touched them inappropriately while they were working together. He also invited them on a staycation outside Bangkok, despite it being unrelated to work.
Following these allegations, the MFP held a meeting and decided to expel Chaiyamphawan. He subsequently joined the Thai Progress Party and continued his political career until the latest sexual assault allegation emerged.
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