School director in sex scandal reports, hears charges

School director in sex scandal reports, hears charges

Nathaphop Boonthongtho, director of Patong Thanoen Samakkhi School in Nakhon Ratchasima's Bua Yai distruct (right, in white shirt), reports to police on Wednesday after he was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student at his school. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
Nathaphop Boonthongtho, director of Patong Thanoen Samakkhi School in Nakhon Ratchasima's Bua Yai distruct (right, in white shirt), reports to police on Wednesday after he was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student at his school. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A disgraced school director accused of having sex with a student at his school reported to hear police charges of depriving a girl under 15 years of parental care for sexual molestation and defaming a woman who exposed the scandal.

Nathaphop Boonthongtho, director of Patong Thanoen Samakkhi School in Bua Yai was accompanied by his lawyer when he arrived at Bua Yai police station around 10.15am.  

The embattled 51-year-old headmaster smiled as he reported to the police investigators, in response to the second summons to acknowledge the charges.

Mr Nathaphop later refused to answer media quesions on emerging from the interrogation room. He said he was not well and would testify in court. 

Pol Col Arkhom Boonsod, chief of Bua Yai police station, said the suspect reported to to acknowledge two counts  -- depriving a girl under 15 years of parental care for obscene purposes, and defamation. The suspect denied all charges. 

He was released on bail without requiring surety. Investigators have asked Mr Nathaphop to report to them again on March 5 for further questioning, the Bua Yai police chief said.  

Mr Nathaphop, 51, is also being investigated by an education panel for gross disciplinary violation after he was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old Mathayom 2 (Grade 8) girl student at his school.

The sex scandal was exposed when angry local residents and members of the school committee released copies of Line chat messages on the girl’s mobile phone. 

In the messages, Mr Nathaphop addressed the girl as “darling’’ and “dear wife’’. Local residents also saw him out with the girl on several occasions.

Police initially pressed charges of taking a minor away from her parents for obscene purposes, and defamation. They had yet to press a charge of sexual abuse, because they first had to compile the evidence and question the girl.

The school director will also face another summons. Another student at the same school has accused him of sexually harassing her.

The girl, 13, was taken by her mother on Saturday to file a complaint against Mr Nathaphop. Her mother told police that Mr Nathaphop offered her daughter a ride before the New Year holidays. While she was in the car, he allegedly began touching her hands, arms and legs and tried to persuade her to have sex with him, but the girl refused.

The accused school director refuses to answer questions as he leaves the police station in his pickup after questioning. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)


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