PUBLISHED : 24 Aug 2023 at 05:00
Prinn Panitchpakdi, a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison without suspension for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old student in 2021, the Office of the Attorney General said.
Deputy spokesman Kosolwat Inthuchanyong said the prison sentence was handed down by the Bangkok South Criminal Court on Aug 10.
Prosecutors presented the court with evidence that Prinn lured the student into meeting him at a rooftop restaurant on Soi Sukhumvit 11 and later sexually molested her.
This occurred in 2021 and she filed a complaint with Lumpini police in April 2022.
The court found Prinn guilty and sentenced him to two years and eight months imprisonment without suspension.
This was the first of many similar cases filed against Prinn.
Mr Kosolwat said the Bangkok South Criminal Court was scheduled to deliver a judgement in a second sexual assault case against Prinn on Sept 25.
In other cases, the court is still examining witnesses.
After the first case was made public, Prinn resigned as deputy leader of the Democrat Party in charge of the party’s economic team. He denied the allegation against him.
More cases against Prinn were brought to public attention by lawyer Sittra Biabangkerd, who led the complainants to file charges with police.
Mr Sittra claimed that up to 10 women had been sexually assaulted by the former MP.
At least five victims were raped while others were sexually molested, he alleged.
Prinn is the son of Supachai Panitchpakdi, a former deputy prime minister, a former director-general of the World Trade Organisation and a former secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.