Warning to the elderly: Beware of a handsome perverted young man who assaulted an 83-year-old woman digging crabs in a rice field in Mahasarakham Province.
According to online warnings, a handsome young man sexually assaulted an 83-year-old woman while she was digging crabs in a rice field at the edge of a village. He did not rape her but masturbated before fleeing. The woman then pushed her bicycle to report the incident to the village headman and urged vigilance to prevent similar attacks on other elderly residents.
Most recently (19 Feb 2026 GMT+7), investigations revealed the incident occurred at Ban Non Khwa, Wapi Pathum District, Mahasarakham Province. The 83-year-old victim explained that on the day of the incident, she left home before 7 a.m.
She went to dig crabs in a relative's rice field at the village's edge. She usually went alone. The field is adjacent to the road connecting Ban Non Khwa to Ban Nong Ta Kai and Ban Nong Phueak, a route villagers use throughout the day.
Around 8 a.m., she noticed the suspect wearing a denim jacket and jeans, parked his motorcycle near a jujube tree about 10 meters away, and watched the area for about ten minutes. Then he suddenly approached her as she dug crabs. She had caught about five crabs at that point and asked in the Isan dialect, “What are you doing?” The suspect said nothing, groped her, then masturbated before fleeing.
, During the assault, she shouted, “Please don’t do this to me, I’m old.” She wanted to show her face to prove her age, but the man ignored her and said he wasn’t doing anything, just wanted to touch her. She was scared and shocked. The suspect did not hide his face; he was good-looking, fair-skinned, and unfamiliar to her. It’s believed he is not from the village.
After he fled, she struggled to get up and went to retrieve her bicycle but was too shaken to ride it, so she pushed it back to the village and reported the incident to the village headman.
Mr. Sanguan Mangmee, the village headman of Ban Non Khwa, Ngo Ba Subdistrict, Wapi Pathum District, Mahasarakham Province, said upon learning of the incident, he recorded it in the village logbook and accompanied the woman to the scene. He also informed villagers to stay alert, as such an incident had never occurred before. The perpetrator is believed not to be a local. Information was spread via the village chiefs’ Line group to warn residents and request any tips about the suspect’s identity.
The problem now is that the woman does not want to file a police report, saying the man did not physically harm her, so she sees no crime. Officials have explained that it constitutes a violation, but they must wait to discuss with her relatives about the next steps. In the meantime, the village has been warned to be cautious and avoid traveling alone.
Police Colonel Sumit Nansathit, Superintendent of Wapi Pathum Police Station, stated that after receiving the report, he ordered investigators to gather information and track down the suspect. The victim has not yet filed a complaint. Since this type of case can be settled out of court, they must wait for the woman to come forward to file the report.