Famous dance teacher arrested for sexual assault allegation

Police arrested a well-known Thai dance instructor, Chutidate Thongyoo after sexual assault allegations were made by an underage teenage boy. The teacher denied the allegations.

The teenager filed a complaint with the police alleging that he had been sexually harassed by the 60 year old teacher, also known as Thiam, on September 16 last year. The boy revealed he was a performer in a school band and knew Thiam because he is well-known in Thailand.

Thiam promised to find him a part-time job and training course. The boy accepted the offer and trusted him because he was famous. Thiam asked to take him to check out the job and course, and the teacher picked him up at his house in the Jakkarat district of Nakhon Ratchasima.

Thiam took him to a rental room in Buriram province and sexually assaulted him. The teenager said Thiam hugged, kissed, and touched his body and wanted to have sex with him but he refused.

As a result, Thiam sent him back home. The boy informed his parents, who later reported the issue to the police.

The police investigated Thiam’s house today and invited him to the police station to acknowledge the charges. Thiam initially faces three charges including:

• Section 319 of the Criminal Law: whoever takes away a person aged over 15 years old but less than 18 years old from the person’s parents or guardian for the obscene purpose shall be punished with imprisonment from two to ten years and a fine of 40,000 to 200,000 baht
• Section 284 of the Criminal Law: whoever takes away another person for the obscene purpose by deceiving, intimidating, using force, or doing violence, shall be punished with imprisonment from one to ten years and a fine of 2,000 to 20,000 baht
• Section 278 of the Criminal Act: whoever commits an indecent act against a person aged over 15 years old by threatening, doing a violent act, or taking any advantage when the person is unable to resist shall be punished with imprisonment up to 10 years old, a fine up to 200,000 baht, or both

Thiam denied all of the allegations. Police reported they would gather more evidence and the case is ongoing.

Thiam is a famous dance trainer, dance competition mentor, and choreographer. The dancer is also involved in a number of other Thai cultural activities, such as country songs, or Luk Thung music, and has performed with many famous singers.

He was a mentor for three of the kingdom’s most popular TV dancing and singing competition programs including Shing Sha Sawan (ชิงช้าสวรรค์), Golden Microphone (ไมค์ทองคำ), and Singing War (สงครามไมค์).

Channel 7 showed some footage of an old interview with Thiam. In the interview, he said that many people came to him because they wanted to be famous. Some even asked him to have sex with them in exchange for an opportunity and career in the Thai entertainment industry.