A family who alleges four of their children were sexually abused by an influential local man in Tambon Bang Ma Phrao of Chumphon’s Lang Suan district, claim they are being continually harassed and may have to move.
They claim that three female family members, aged 6, 10 and 14, and a nine-year-old boy, were sexually assaulted by the head of a rubber plantation who is identified only by his first name Surin.
On Friday morning, Paknam Lang Suan Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Tharathep Tupanich led 10 uniformed and plain-clothes officers to visit the rape victims and their relatives who say they are frightened and under stress.
Police sought details about alleged threats the family had received to investigate further and possibly file additional charges against the suspect.
Tharathep promised police protection for the family and said that the suspect would receive punishment if he was found guilty as charged.
Although the 14-year-old girl had allegedly been molested and raped from the age of two until seven, the family only recently filed the police complaint after learning about sexual attacks on the three younger children.
Surin was arrested and later granted bail pending trial.
The 14-year-old girl’s mother Jan (not her real name) told Tharathep about the alleged sexual attacks on the children and said they discussed moving away from Bang Maphrao for their safety and to prevent trouble for their landlord.
A local community leader gave shelter to the family after they left the shack they built and lived in on Surin’s plantation.
“We live on what we earn daily so we don’t have enough cash to move back to our northeastern hometown of Sakhon Nakhon. We are under tremendous stress,” Jan said.
She added that people close to Surin also harass the family with dirty looks and hostile words.
Tharathep said he had talked to the landlord who affirmed that the family could continue to live at his property as Jan’s 60-year-old husband was a good and diligent worker.
According to police, Surin currently faced charges of “taking away” minors under 13 from their parents, molesting minors under 15, and attempting to rape children under 13.
