A mother took her 15-year-old daughter to Saimaimustsurvive for help, claiming the daughter was sexually assaulted by a soldier inside a public restroom while playing Songkran water festival on Khaosan Road. When the daughter resisted, she was threatened with death. A police report has been filed, but the case feels delayed and slow.
At 10:00 on 16 Apr 2026 at the Saimaimustsurvive office on Wat Ko Road, Sai Mai District, Bangkok, Mrs. Gai (alias), about 60, accompanied by her 15-year-old daughter Ms. A (alias), presented evidence and sought assistance from Mr. Ekaphop Luangprasert, founder of the Saimaimustsurvive page. Ms. A reported that a man claiming to be a private soldier raped her inside a restroom beside a hotel on Tani Road, Talad Yot Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, on 15 Apr at 00:30. After the incident, Ms. A’s older brother filed a complaint with Police Lieutenant Chayut Tangkhunsomphat, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) at Chanasongkram Police Station.
Ms. A said she and friends went to play Songkran water festival on Khaosan Road, where they encountered a group of about eight men with shaved heads, calling each other Sergeant and Lieutenant. They joined in the water play. Later, one man invited her to his lodging, but she declined. Around 23:00, while walking alone to the restroom, one soldier from the group was already inside waiting. As she entered, he pushed the door and followed in immediately, using force to assault her. When she resisted, he choked her and threatened, “Don’t scream or I will kill you.” Even when passersby heard noises and asked, the assailant shouted back that nothing was wrong, frightening her into silence. After about 10 minutes, when he finished, she ran out seeking help from bystanders and a restroom attendant. The group then fled amid the commotion.
Afterwards, she informed her brother and filed a police report around 01:00. She is worried about the case because police told her, “If you want to pursue this, you must go to military court,” seeming to encourage mediation. The CCTV review at the scene has been slow. She still suffers trauma but insists on full legal action, stressing that the perpetrator, as a state official, should uphold ethics and not harm civilians, especially youth.
Mrs. Gai said her daughter asked to go play Songkran water festival with two friends. She was reluctant but told her to be careful. After the incident, she felt heartbroken since it happened in public and her daughter is only 15. She questioned if society has become too brutal. Knowing the assailant is a private soldier made her feel there is a lack of discipline. She said, “It feels like my family has died inside because this is a stain on my daughter. We will no longer allow her to play water like this. I insist on pursuing the case fully and want the police to punish the perpetrator as a lesson for anyone thinking of committing such acts. No one is above the law.”
Mr. Ekaphop said he initially contacted Lieutenant General Udorn Boonthamcharoen, Minister of Defence,to request justice and verification whether the suspects are indeed soldiers and their ranks. If confirmed, he urged their units to promptly transfer them for prosecution atChanasongkram Police Station.He also plans to take the victim to the Ministry of Justice to seek witness protection and compensation as a criminal case victim, then follow up withPolice Colonel Nipon Nithikarnrut,Commander of Chanasongkram Police Station, to monitor case progress and ensure fairness for all parties. The victim remains traumatized, so coordination with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is planned for psychological support.