Phongsathon Suwannaraksa, a prominent attorney recognized for his work with sexual abuse survivors, has been apprehended on allegations of raping and extorting one of his clients.
The 26-year-old victim, who reportedly experienced depression following the alleged assault, attempted suicide by jumping from the deck of HTMS Chakri Naruebet in Chon Buri on November 22nd last year. Fortunately, she was rescued in time.
Mr. Phongsathon, 34, widely known as Lawyer Arm, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) in Songkhla, his hometown, on Monday. He faces charges of rape using force, which he refutes, asserting that the encounter was consensual.
“I’m confident it was consensual. I’ll prove my innocence in court. If I fail, I’ll resign from my profession,” stated the suspect upon his arrest.
He has also initiated legal actions against the woman for alleged extortion and false police reporting.
Furthermore, the lawyer has lodged a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission against the police investigators at Don Muang police station handling his rape case.
Following the woman’s survival of her suicide attempt last year, she informed MPB investigators that the lawyer had threatened her, leading to her depression and subsequent suicide attempt.
Their association began in 2022 when she sought legal assistance to sue a friend who owed her 100,000 baht. At that time, the lawyer was a candidate in a by-election on the Kla Party’s ticket in Songkhla, though he was unsuccessful.
According to the woman, the lawyer deceived her into attending what he claimed was a Kla party in Bangkok, where he subsequently assaulted her in a hotel room. She alleges that he then began blackmailing her.
Subsequently, she filed a rape complaint against him in Bangkok’s Don Muang district, leading to his countersuits against her and legal action against the investigating officers.
