A school teacher accused of raping a teenage student handed himself in to police today in northeast Thailand. If found guilty, the 45 year old physical education teacher faces up to 20 years in prison.
Wachira Phanomkaen, a PE teacher at a school in the Kuchinarai district, is accused of raping a 13 year old girl.
The 45 year old teacher was accompanied by his lawyer as he reported to the deputy chief investigator, Pol Lt Col Thitiphan Nitithamsaraphon, at Kuchinarai. He is being charged with raping a girl under 15 years old and depriving her of parental care for a lewd purpose.
Wachira denied all charges.
Pol Maj Gen Suwan Chiewnawinthawat, chief of Kalasin police, reported the alleged suspect will be taken to Kalasin Provincial Court where police will oppose bail and suggest he is detained for another 12 days. Police fear Wachira might tamper with the evidence if he is released on bail.
The PE teacher allegedly used trickery to lure the victim to his room before raping the teenage girl, Mathayom Suksa, a Grade 7 student in the Kuchinarai district of this northeastern province.
Wachira allegedly asked the teenage girl to massage him in his room at the school. He reportedly offered the girl some water which was allegedly spiked with an unknown drug. Mathayom fell unconscious after drinking the water. She awoke to find herself nude in the teacher’s room and felt a pain in the vaginal area.
The teenager told her parents what happened, who then filed a complaint at Kuchinarai station.
The girl’s parents were not happy with the progress being made by the police so they approached the Pavena Hongsakula Foundation for Children and Women.
Ms Pavena visited the girl and her family on Monday and then went to the police station to follow up on the case.
Under Section 277 of Thai law, whoever has sexual intercourse with a girl not yet over 15 years of age and not his wife, whether such girl shall consent or not, shall be punished with imprisonment of four to 20 years and fined 8,000 to 40,000 baht.
Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post