Due process will be followed in Bangkok MP rape case: House speaker

Parliament will address the case within 15 days of receiving the warrant, and the case will be thoroughly vetted before any action is taken, the speaker said

House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said that as of Monday, he had not received an arrest warrant for Chaiyamphawan Munpianjitt, a Bangkok MP from the Thai Progress Party who is accused of raping a Taiwanese woman.

The House speaker said that urgent action will be taken as soon as an official document is received. According to parliamentary procedures, the matter must be included in the legislative agenda within 15 days. If received today, he said, it could be tabled for urgent discussion next week. 

Wan Muhamad Noor added that MPs hold greater accountability than ordinary citizens, case he said it was equally important to review the details of the warrant first. Chaiyamphawan, meanwhile, has yet to make a public appearance or provide an official statement on the allegations. 

MP Awaits Surrender, Denies Wrongdoing

Chaiyamphawan’s close associate said the MP was currently in Bangkok but plans to surrender to police in Chiang Mai before February 20. He also plans to hold a press conference there and has no intention of resigning, despite mounting pressure from fellow lawmakers urging him not to invoke parliamentary immunity. 

The associate also alleged that police officers had demanded a 400,000 baht bribe in exchange for dropping the case last month. Chaiyamphawan had reportedly travelled to Chiang Mai upon learning about the complaint, and after he refused to pay, the case escalated from a summons to an arrest warrant. The associate said that additional evidence would be released in due course. 

Claims of Consensual Encounter

The associate admitted that Chaiyampawan and the Taiwanese woman had engaged in sexual intercourse but insisted it was consensual. He said there were three people in the room at the time – Chaiyamphawan, the Taiwanese woman and her female friend – and asked why the friend did not intervene if an assault had indeed taken place. 

The associate also claimed that the woman had accompanied Chaiphawan to the door of the hotel, but the hotel claimed its CCTV cameras were malfunctioning that night, leaving no surveillance footage as evidence. Concerns Over Police Handling

Chaiyamphawan’s team has also raised concerns over the police investigation, alleging that officers failed to conduct an on-site examination or collect environmental evidence, relying solely on the woman’s testimony. They argued that forensic testing would obviously have found traces of semen, which is why Chaiyamphawan, his legal team, and associates have been gathering evidence independently. 

The associate also pointed to CCTV footage that reportedly shows Chaiyamphawan appearing sober on the night in question. They claimed that restaurant staff could verify that he did not consume alcohol that evening, suggesting he was fully aware of his actions. The MP has reportedly refrained from making a public statement because he fears his explanation would not be received fairly.

Pol Colonel Prachaya Thisla, the Chiang Mai police chief, said police have all the evidence and witnesses required to proceed with the case. He said the suspect would definitely try to defend himself by claiming the encounter was consensual. However, why would the woman file a complaint if it was truly consensual, he asked. 

As for claims that police officers demanded 400,000 baht in bribes, he said a case should be formally filed and evidence presented. Prachaya said that if the claims are proven true, any officer found involved will face both criminal and disciplinary action. However, if the accusation is found to be false, then the accuser will be held responsible, he said, without elaborating.

(2025/02/10-00:00)