Thai spiritual medium arrested for raping woman with autism

Police arrested a Thai spiritual medium for raping a woman with autism at a hotel in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The rapist then allegedly repeated the appalling crime, sexually assaulting a six year old girl, after being released on bail.

The 21 year old mother of the child filed a complaint against the spiritual medium, 55 year old Pasriariyamatetrai Satjaputtabaramee, at Nong Bua Police Station in Nakhon Sawan province on November 15 of last year.

The mother said she was a follower of Pasriariyamatetrai, who claimed that her daughter, Pang, was his wife in a previous life. Pasriariyamatetrai picked up Pang from her home on July 25 of last year and told the mother that he would drive her around to see if she could remember their relationship in a previous life.

Pasriariyamatetrai brought Pang home an hour later. The girl’s mother noticed that her daughter looked frightened and tense. The mother took Pang to shower her where she noticed a bite mark on her chest. She questioned Pang and found out about the rape.

Pang revealed to her mother that Pasriariyamatetrai took her to a hotel not far from the home and raped her. Pang’s mother took the matter to Pasriariyamatetrai’s followers and learned from another mother that the spiritual medium had also sexually assaulted her six year old daughter.

The mother reported the rape to the police some four months later. The reason for her delayed complaint was not reported.

Samae Dam Police Station officers in Bangkok managed to arrest Pasriariyamatetrai at a house in Soi Rama II 36 in the Bang Khun Thian district yesterday, January 4. When questioned, Pasriariyamatetrai denied the rape and said he would only speak in court.

Pasriariyamatetrai was charged under Section 276 of the Criminal Law: sexually assaulting another person by threatening or using a violent act. The penalty is imprisonment from four to 20 years and a fine from 80,000 to 400,000 baht.

According to Section 285/2 of the Criminal Law, Pasriariyamatetrai faces a more severe punishment for committing such an act against a vulnerable person who is unable to protect herself.