Phuket school director denies assault allegations

UPDATE

The Phuket school director who last week was accused of physically assaulting an eight year old is denying the allegations. This news comes after a relative of the boy claimed that on September 8, the director pushed the boy’s head into a wall. He also allegedly used his hands to forcefully open her nephew’s mouth.

The Phuket Provincial Educational Office director, Patchalee Chaoponlagrang, now says the director told the office that the claim is not true. She said the boy has special needs and likes to stay in teachers’ rooms. Patchalee said that on the day of the alleged assault, the boy went into the director’s room, and played for five minutes before going out. Patchalee told The Phuket Express…

“The room is next to other rooms where staffers and teachers were present. They did not hear any sound or cries from any potential assault. He bought some water from a teacher at a shop in the school and no wounds were present.”

Patchalee noted, however, that the office is continuing to investigate.

PREVIOUS UPDATE

Phuket Provincial Police have ordered an investigation into reports that a school director physically assaulted an eight year old boy.

A relative of the boy had said that the school director on Thursday, September 8 pushed the boy’s head into a wall. He also allegedly used his hands to forcefully open her nephew’s mouth.

The boy’s mother, 30 year old Ya, told police that her daughter was with her brother in the director’s room when the director allegedly assaulted him. Ya says she saw yesterday that her son’s head was swollen, so she asked both of her children what had happened.

The boy was later taken to a hospital for a health check up. The result of the checkup is to be included in the investigation for further potential legal action.

ORIGINAL STORY

A woman says that a director of a private school in Phuket’s main city district has assaulted and injured her eight year old nephew.

The woman says that on Thursday, September 8, the director held her nephew’s head against the wall before knocking him into the wall. He also allegedly used his hands to forcefully open her nephew’s mouth.

The woman says that her nephew has sustained injuries, and has a constant headache. She now wants to take legal action against the director and filed a report to Phuket City Police yesterday.

This is unfortunately far from the first allegation of abuse against school staff in Thailand. Just last month, a teacher in Kanchanaburi province faced prison and a hefty fine after punishing a student with squat jumps, leading to Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

The 15 year old had missed over a month of schooling and was still struggling to walk. His mother believed the disease was a result of the teacher’s punishment.

In June, a teacher in the Sri Racha district of Chon Buri province allegedly injured a 12 year old student by forcing her to do 60 squat jumps. The girl’s father says she was hospitalised for six days for “a very bad fever and leg pain.”

SOURCE: The Phuket Express | The Phuket Express | The Phuket Express