Thai woman confronts bus pervert after third sexual assault (video)
A Thai woman defended herself by kicking a pervert who sexually assaulted her on a public bus on November 29 and handing him over to the police. Unfortunately, the suspect was temporarily released.
A fellow passenger, 23 year old Adiwan, witnessed the incident and recorded a video to warn others. In the footage, the victim, identified as 25 year old Ploychompoo and wearing a blue shirt, was seen arguing with the man, who was dressed in a black shirt and cap.
In an interview with Channel 3, Adiwan revealed that the incident occurred on bus number 133, which serves passengers travelling from the Keha Bang Pli Community to the Ekkamai area of Bangkok. The confrontation began around 9pm as the bus reached Soi Srinakarin 20.
Adiwan recounted that Ploychompoo screamed for help and urged other passengers to record the incident. Responding to her plea, Adiwan began filming. She noted that Ploychompoo kicked the man once during the altercation, although she could not capture that moment on camera.
Ploychompoo accused the man of sexual assault but he denied the allegations. When he attempted to exit the bus, the driver locked the doors to prevent his escape.
Adiwan stated that the man then turned aggressive, threatening to stab Ploychompoo. He tried to break a window but stopped when the public bus attendant warned him of legal consequences.
Pervert released
The suspect then changed his manner, reportedly faking tears and apologising to Ploychompoo, pleading for her not to press charges. However, Ploychompoo refused to relent and called Prawet Police Station, leading to his arrest.
In an interview, Ploychompoo disclosed that she encountered the man on the bus twice before and he harassed her on both occasions.
The first time, he sat next to her despite the bus being nearly empty. A bus attendant noticed his behaviour and instructed him to sit elsewhere, allowing Ploychompoo to avoid further trouble.
On the second occasion, he sat beside her again, this time using a bag on his lap to cover his hand as he attempted to touch her waist. Ploychompoo shouted, prompting him to flee.
The victim filed a complaint with the police but was reportedly advised to confront him herself if he targeted her again. Reluctantly, she faced him once more and became a victim of his actions again.
According to the Channel 3 report, the suspect has been charged under Section 278 of the Criminal Code for sexually assaulting a person aged over 15 using threats or violence. This offence carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.
Despite the charges, the suspect was temporarily released, with police promising to summon him later to face legal action.
