A soldier has been taken into custody after being accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in a public restroom on Khao San Road in Bangkok during the Songkran festivities.
It happened around 11pm Tuesday in a restroom in an alley beside the Nap Park Hostel, according to the girl’s mother, who reported the case to the online support page Sai Mai Tong Rod on Thursday.
The girl told her brother the same night and filed a complaint with police at Chana Songkhram station.
The girl said she and a group of friends had been taking part in the Songkran water festivities when they encountered a group of eight men who had military haircut and called each other by army ranks. She identified one member of the group as the accused.
The girl reported that the man followed her to the restroom, where the assault occurred, threatened her and then fled the scene. She sought help from bystanders afterward.
The Royal Thai Army said the soldier initially admitted to “having sex with the girl,” and that other members of his group were unaware of the incident.
The army said the suspect has been handed to police for further questioning and investigation.
