Politics sexual assault case propels Thailand into the MeToo era

Thai women denounce the machismo rooted in Thai society.

(Illustrative photo) © AP - Aijaz Rahi

Text by: Carol Isoux

2 mins

A famous politician, leader of a government coalition party, is accused of rape and sexual assault by around twenty women.

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From our correspondent in Bangkok

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Prinn Panitchapakdi, 44, is accused of rape and sexual assault by around 20 women, 15 of whom have filed a complaint.

Not only is he one of the leaders of the Democratic Party, a party member of the government coalition, but he is also known to be the son of Supachai Panitchapakdi, Thai diplomat, former director of the World Trade Organization.

He was considered until now as a rising star on the Thai political scene.

It was an 18-year-old girl who filed the complaint first, followed quickly by a fairly well-known woman, also involved in politics who was seeking a mandate in the next elections for mayor of Bangkok.

Anna Vidhyaphum, supported by her husband, claims that the politician invited him to have lunch in a restaurant in the tower where his apartment is located, before inviting him to go up to his house.

The other victims report the same modus operandi.

The man has already been the subject of similar complaints, twenty years ago, in London, where he owns an apartment.

Media tidal wave

Newspapers, television channels, social networks, everyone has their own commentary.

Groups of women have been demonstrating for several days in front of the headquarters of the Democratic Party.

Speech seems to have suddenly become free, as if feminist groups were waiting for an occasion like this, a case of sexual harassment with enough testimonies and a personality that counts in circles of power, to finally speak out.

The word

appeared on Thai networks.

The protesters even have an anthem: "Sita through the fire", a local version of a feminist song heard during demonstrations in Chile and Mexico whose lyrics are inspired by a famous scene from the Ramakian, a founding myth of societies South Asians, where Princess Sita must walk through fire to prove her innocence to her husband.

Thai feminists are using this case to expose the machismo embedded in the Thai psyche, literature and screen representations.

A politicized affair

Some speak of a political machination, others already condemn it.

Anna Vidhyapum had to give up running for political office, after being accused of wanting to attract sympathy votes with this affair.

But the seriousness of the facts, the number of victims and the past of the alleged aggressor could make this affair go beyond the pure political framework and bring Thailand into the era of Metoo.

In any case, this is of course what feminists want.

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