Village Chief Accused of Luring Woman to Resort Under False Pretenses

A mother-in-law is seeking justice for her daughter-in-law after being lured to a resort by a village headman who claimed he would help resolve a legal case, then subjected to sexual assault. Fortunately, the victim managed to call a friend for help in time.

On July 13, 2569, at 1:45 p.m., at Muang Saraburi Police Station, Chalida Phralammat, director of the Pen Neung Foundation, brought the 25-year-old victim (referred to as "Ms. A") and her mother-in-law (Nang Perm) to meet with Pol. Col. Sakkhai Kraiviradetkachai, commander of Muang Saraburi Police, and investigating officers to follow up on the case against "Mr. B," a village headman from Kud Nok Plao subdistrict in Muang district, Saraburi province. He allegedly lured Ms. A to commit indecent assault and attempted rape at a resort in Dao Ruang subdistrict on July 2, 2569. Officers from Saraburi's Justice Ministry and Department of Social Development and Human Security were present as observers.

Ms. A recounted what happened: On July 1, a friend from a birthday party informed her that she had stolen her mobile phone and suggested meeting to discuss returning it to police. However, the phone's owner refused to drop the charges, making her anxious. She decided to contact a local authority figure—the village headman—to mediate. After discussing the matter at a guesthouse around 1:00 a.m. on July 2, everyone dispersed.

The next morning, the village headman called her and asked her to meet him, claiming he would take her to speak with police and meet with officials to help resolve the case. She hurried out hoping for assistance. Before leaving, she tried to call a friend to accompany her, but the headman insisted she come alone, saying he didn't want others to know about it. She agreed.

Once in the car, the headman said he would take her to meet a police officer he knew to help with the case, and he did. After speaking with the officer briefly, he said he would take her to meet another official for additional help. She believed him and hoped for assistance, so she continued. Along the way, the headman repeatedly assured her he could resolve the case, building her trust.

He then drove slowly through small sois for a long time before claiming the official hadn't arrived yet and suggesting they get something to eat while waiting. Instead of going to a restaurant, he drove into a resort that had a food shop out front. He claimed he didn't want to sit at the restaurant because he was worried people might see them and think he was helping with a legal case, so he asked her to wait for him in a room inside. He said he would call the official from outside.

Once inside the room, she grew frightened and quickly called a friend, giving her location and saying, "I'm scared. Please stay on the phone with me and come find me." Shortly after, the headman asked who she was talking to, ordered her to hang up, turn off her phone, and forbade her from contacting her parents.

Terrified, she ended the call. She then asked to use the bathroom and secretly texted her friend: "Come pick me up. I'm scared." While in the bathroom, the headman followed, knocked and banged on the door, shouting and asking what she was doing, why she brought her phone in, and demanding she turn it off immediately. She lied and said she had already turned it off, though she hadn't, and tried to secretly message her friend to come help.

Meanwhile, the headman ordered beer. She volunteered to go get it.