Prominent Thai politician faces rape allegations

Thailand

Charges against Prinn Panitchpakdi, former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, have sent shockwaves through Thailand

Allegations that a prominent Thai politician raped several women have reignited the debate about a culture of impunity and crimes against women in the Southeast Asian nation.

Prinn Panitchpakdi, 44, a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, the oldest party in the country, is facing allegations of sexual harassment and rape from three women, with several other women reportedly about to lodge similar complaints with police against the politician.

Prinn, son of a former deputy prime minister who once served as the director-general of the World Trade Organization, has denied the charges, but the allegations  have sent shockwaves through Thailand where crimes against women, including rape, are common.

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It has also transpired in recent days that the politician, while living in London in 2003, was reported to British police by two Thai women who said he had raped them, although the charges were later dropped.

There has been speculation that the alleged victims in London withdrew their complaints after they received financial compensation in the form of hush money.

Last week Prinn stepped down as deputy leader of the Democrat Party following reports that an 18-year-old student had accused him of sexually harassing her. The politician denied having done so. Three other women have come forward with similar allegations.

“Victims are scared to be judged and labeled, especially when the rapist is someone important. Police can be influenced easily and bail is almost a guarantee, so then the victim has to worry about that as well”

The fact that Prinn has been granted bail despite these allegations against him has led to suspicions among many Thais that he might be receiving preferential treatment owing to his privileged position.

“Victims are scared to be judged and labeled, especially when the rapist is someone important. Police can be influenced easily and bail is almost a guarantee, so then the victim has to worry about that as well,” one commenter noted on social media.

Other commenters have noted that Thailand’s draconian libel laws frequently prevent victims of sexual harassment and abuse from coming forward for fear of being charged with defamation.

“Thailand’s libel laws are designed to stop people reporting crimes of any sort [against influential people]. That isn’t by accident. It’s deliberate,” a commenter argued.

At the same time, women’s rights advocates say that victims of sexual abuse should receive more help from law enforcement authorities.

In a post on social media, Karnokrut Thampanichawat, a rights advocate, has encouraged women not to be afraid to come forward if they have experienced sexual harassment.

“Don’t blame yourself and don’t be ashamed to speak up so that the perpetrators of the crime are punished. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s OK too,” she wrote.

She has also called on law enforcement officials not to engage in victim-blaming. “The justice system must have a process in place that supports victims and investigators must understand the nature of sexual crimes and not ask questions that [humiliate] victims” such as asking them if they wore revealing clothing when the alleged assault took place, Karnokrut argued.

Outrage over the allegations also spilled into a street protest when a group of feminists staged a rally on April 18 outside the headquarters of the Democrat Party, a pillar of the royalist establishment. With fists raised, the women called for justice for Prinn’s alleged victims.

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