Another victim has filed a sexual harassment case against former Democrat member Prinn Panitchpakdi with Muang police in Chiang Mai while five more victims plan to do so on Monday, lawyer Sittra Biebangkerd said on Saturday.
Mr Sittra said he has been contacted by many victims since making the case of a student complainant public, taking the total to more than 20. Some celebrities were also allegedly harassed or assaulted by the suspect, but they are in talks with their families over whether to file complaints, he said.
The case came to light after an 18-year-old student lodged a complaint on April 12, accusing the former Democrat politician of sexually harassing her during their meeting on April 11 at the bar and restaurant of a hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 11, Watthana district.
They were supposed to discuss economic topics for her studies, but the politician focused instead on sexual topics before allegedly touching and kissing her on her hands and cheeks.
Afterwards, four more women filed complaints against Mr Prinn. A 43-year-old woman filed a complaint on April 14 with Muang police in Phetchaburi, accusing Mr Prinn of sexually harassing her on Nov 8, 2020. The alleged incident took place at a resort in Muang district where she joined the Democrat Party's economic team for dinner.
The politician allegedly wrapped his arm around her during the dinner and she told him to remove it. The politician contacted her later and invited her to his condo in Bangkok, she said, an offer she refused.
Hathairat Thanakitamnuay, 30, wife of Thanat "Luk Nut" Thanakitamnuay, a core anti-government figure, filed a rape charge against Mr Prinn on April 14, over an alleged sexual assault at a condo in Soi Sukhumvit 3 in early 2021.
Another 18-year-old student lodged a complaint on April 15 against Mr Prinn for alleged sexual harassment. She met the former deputy leader in August last year at a seminar where she was working as an MC and invited him to be a speaker at another session this February.
He later invited her to dinner. She said he coerced her to drink wine and asked if she had a boyfriend before asking if they could have sex. He allegedly touched her hands and face and made other advances in the restaurant. She decided to leave and called her friend to tell what had happened because she felt unsafe.
Lastly, a 25-year-old woman lodged a complaint with police in Chiang Mai yesterday, accusing Mr Prinn of sexually harassing her at a hotel there.
She had met him at a seminar in Chiang Mai two years ago, and he contacted her last year saying was visiting the province for a seminar. She went to the hotel but there was no seminar. He allegedly grabbed her hand, moved closer and kissed her on the lips.
Mr Prinn met investigators at Lumpini station at 8am on Saturday to acknowledge charges of indecent exposure in public places including rape based on the accusations filed against him.
Pol Maj Gen Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), said Mr Prinn denied all charges.
Lumpini police will on Sunday request that South Bangkok Criminal Court hold Mr Prinn on remand.
Police will also ask the court to set conditions to prevent Mr Prinn from leaving the country, he said.
