NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A school director embroiled in a sex scandal involving an underage student at his school has been transferred and faces both disciplinary and criminal investigations for offences that could see him sacked.
Nakhon Ratchasima education zone 6 on Tuesday issued an order transferring Nathaphop Boonthongtho, director of Patong Thanoen Samakkhi School in Bua Yai district, to an inactive post at the zone office.
The transfer took immediate effect, zone 6 deputy director Supapongsa Chantharang said.
An inquiry panel has also been set up to look into the 51-year-old man’s alleged misconduct.
The panel members immediately began questioning teachers, students, parents and members of the school committee about the allegation, the education zone deputy director said.
Mr Nathaphop would be called for questioning. So far, officials had been unable to contact him. He was absent from the school and had turned off his mobile phone.
The sex scandal involving the school director and a 14-year-old student at his school came to light after angry local residents and members of the school committee released copies of Line chat messages from the girl’s mobile phone showing their alleged special relationship.
They had also previously complained unsuccessfully to the zone office, objecting to his being posted to the school after being involved in a sex scandal at his former school.
In the Line chat messages, the school director referred to the girl as “darling’’ and on another occasion as “wife’’. Local residents also saw him and the young girl out together on several occasions.
As the girl was only 14 years old, the school director would face harsh punishment if the allegations were found to have grounds, an official said. That would include being expelled from the teaching service.
A close friend of the girl said her friend often spoke of her affair with the school director. The girl previously had a boyfriend, a Mathayom Suksa 3 student.
After Mr Nathaphop was appointed to the school as the new director, he often had his eyes on the girl, the girl’s friend said.
During a scout camping trip on Dec 26 last year, the girl began a relationship with him, the friend alleged. Since then, the director had many times asked her accompany him on visits to other places, according to the girl's friend.
The friend said the girl told her the director planned to make a marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day next month.