The Royal Forest Department is drafting a new regulation to ban female officials from going out on field assignments alone following a case of sexual harassment.
Department director-general Cholathis Suraswadi said on Thursday that he had assigned officials to draft a regulation to ensure the safety of female officials going on field assignments.
He said the regulation would prohibit female officials from going alone and requires them to go in pairs. They also need to stay at hotels, except in certain situations.
The department's move followed a case in which one of its female officials was reportedly abused sexually by a male driver while travelling to another province on official duty.
The female official had reportedly intended to file a police complaint but was told not to do so by her supervisor, who reasoned doing so could damage the office's reputation.
Mr Cholathis said a committee had been set up to investigate the incident. All members of the committee are high-ranking female officials from legal affairs and research offices to avoid embarrassing the victim.
Gen Surasak Karnjanarat, minister of the Natural Resources and Environement Ministry, which supervises the department, told the probe committee to establish the facts in the case and find measures to prevent a recurrence.
"We need to ensure safety for female officials while being out on field assignments, especially in the provinces," he said.
Mr Cholathis said the accused male official was working as usual, pending the investigation result, which was expected in 10 days. If found guilty, he would be suspended from work, pending a decision on disciplinary action.
He said the female official had requested a transfer to the North and the request had been approved. Another panel had also been set up to investigate the head of her office to find out why he told her to keep quiet.
Female students now outnumber males at Kasetsart University's Forestry Faculty and they would be required to perform both preventive and suppression work after being recruited by the Royal Forest Department and the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.
Mr Cholathis declined to comment on this, saying the selection of students was the responsibility of the Education Ministry, but said the principle of equality should be upheld.
"Besides, it's the responsibility of these agencies to come up with regulations to ensure their safety," he said.
Supensri Phuengkhoksoong, manager of the Foundation for Promotion of Equality in Society, said sexual harassment was common among government agencies, particularly officials on field assignment.
Agencies where female officials were sexually harassed have a tendency to cover up the scandal, she said.
Ms Supensri said in the Royal Forest Department case, the accused male official and the victim's superviser should face disciplinary action if found guilty by the probe panels.