Thai teacher allegedly abuses autistic, cutting and locking him in locker
A Thai mother accused police of delaying an investigation into the alleged physical abuse of her autistic son, who was reportedly cut with a sharp ruler and locked inside a locker by a teacher at a school in Nonthaburi province.
The 45 year old mother, identified only as A, sought assistance from Porramate Chaipatcharakunpong, an adviser to the Education Minister, to help follow up on a complaint she filed at Bang Bua Thong Police Station.
The complaint concerns her 12 year old son, who has autism and is enrolled at a local school in Bang Bua Thong district.
The mother said she first became aware something was wrong after noticing changes in her son’s behaviour. He cried more frequently, repeatedly wrote the words “locker” and “sad” on pieces of paper, and often muttered phrases such as “hurt,” “stubborn,” and “go in the locker.”
After repeatedly speaking with and reassuring him, the boy eventually told her that he was abused by a female teacher at the school.
According to the child, the teacher punished him by cutting his leg with a ruler before locking him inside a locker for nearly an hour. The boy reportedly became fearful of attending school and showed signs of emotional distress following the incident.
The mother said the alleged abuse occurred on December 12 last year. She stated that CCTV footage from the school shows the teacher escorting her son out of the classroom, during which time the boy appeared depressed and walked as if he were in pain. She said his condition visibly differed from when he entered the classroom earlier.
The boy’s classmate also reportedly provided the mother with an audio recording in which the teacher could be heard speaking angrily. According to the classmate, the teacher pinched the boy and placed him inside the locker as punishment.
The mother filed a police complaint on December 17. During questioning, the accused teacher denied harming the boy and also denied the existence of the locker, despite it reportedly being located outside the classroom.
In response, the superintendent of Bang Bua Thong Police Station rejected claims of a delayed investigation, saying officers needed to question all parties involved, including the child. Police said the teacher would be summoned for further questioning.
The officer added that the case is currently being considered as inappropriate punishment rather than intentional abuse, and investigators are still determining whether the incident meets the legal definition of physical abuse.
