
KHON KAEN: Olympic boxing gold medallist Somluck Kamsing has been sentenced to three years, one month and 10 days in jail on charges including attempted rape of a teenager just over a year ago.
Somluck, 52, said he would appeal the convictions. The Khon Kaen provincial court approved his release on bail of 300,000 baht.
The court made its ruling on Thursday in connection with an incident involving a 17-year-old girl whom he met at a night spot in the northeastern province in December 2023.
The court said it believed the accusations made by the teenager based on traces of bruising on her breast and near her vagina.
The teenager, a native of Kalasin, earlier told the court that Somluck tried to rape her but could not get an erection, so he rubbed himself roughly against her.
The court dismissed his claim that he had the teenager’s consent. It also said that although the girl had followed him to a hotel, it did not mean that she was willing to have sex with him.
As well, it said, the defence was unable to prove any intention to commit prostitution because there was no request for money.
The incident happened on the night of Dec 9, 2023, and Somluck reported to police for questioning on Dec 15. At the time he told reporters that he had not known the age of the woman until he later asked her in the hotel room. Then he stopped making advances, he said.
The court also ordered Somluck to pay 120,000 baht in compensation to the teenager and 50,000 baht to her relatives. His friend Pichet Chinehantha was acquitted in the case.
Somluck told reporters briefly on Thursday that he would continue with his defence. His lawyer Itthisak Atthakornwikrom said more facts had yet to be considered.
Somluck, a Khon Kaen native, was a Muay Thai fighter before turning to boxing. He earned a bronze medal at the 1989 King's Cup and a gold medal in the 1995 edition. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, he won a gold medal in the men’s featherweight division. He was the first Thai athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
In 2018, Somluck was declared bankrupt after running up debts of around 4 million baht from a failed petrol station business. However, the Thailand Boxing Association helped him resolve his financial troubles.
Somluck expressed gratitude for the help and said he intended to avoid risky business ventures and would focus instead on his acting career. He has made numerous appearances in Thai movies and TV series.

Somluck Kamsing, right, arrives at the Khon Kaen provincial court on Thursday morning. (Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri)