Chiang Mai massage parlour filing defamation over ‘distorted’ molestation claim

An escalating spat over alleged sexual molestation at a massage parlour in Chiang Mai‘s Wualai district has taken a new twist. The accused masseuse, along with the owner of the establishment, retaliated, filing a police complaint against the young male client and the creator of the Facebook post that spurred the initial allegation. They claim the online account was a distortion of the actual events, causing damage to their business reputation.

On July 7, a post appeared on Facebook stating that a young man had been sexually assaulted by a transgender masseuse while availing of a traditional Thai massage. The client, according to the post, took offence and responded by kicking the masseuse in the face. The post claimed the massage owner had refused to accept responsibility, instead advising the complainant to report the matter to the police.

The report hinged mainly on the accusation of molestation as the massage parlour lacked CCTV cameras to provide concrete evidence. In addition, the supposed victim had sought damage compensation amounting to 1,000 baht (US$28). Following a media report, the incident garnered significant public attention.

Addressing the situation today, the 38 year old masseuse Piphat and the spa owner presented themselves to the Chiang Mai City Police investigators. They lodged a report against the page owner and the young man behind the disputed Facebook story, claiming that it distorted the truth, resulting in loss and damage to their reputation, reported KhaoSod.

Piphat denied the molestation allegations, explaining that the customer had come in for an oil massage with his girlfriend waiting behind a separating curtain. Around 30 minutes into the session, the customer suddenly attacked Piphat, accusing him of inappropriate behaviour, and thereafter demanding compensation of 1,000 baht. Piphat and the parlour owner refused to compensate as they were convinced of no wrongdoing on their part.

The parties later met at the police station to establish facts and discuss a potential settlement. While the purported victim confessions about assaulting Piphat were apparent, no evidence of recent harassment was presented. Consequently, the parties agreed to settle the assault matter with a compensation of 1,000 baht and an apology. However, the complainants reportedly proceeded to spread distorted information on social media, contradicting their previous agreement.

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Piphat, with over six years of impeccable service in the masseuse profession, vehemently denied any misconduct claims. Their initial consult with police suggested moving forward with charges of physical harm given the opponent’s refusal to accept liability despite being at fault. They were also considering filing additional complaints for continuous reputation damages.

The massage parlour owner intends to file defamation charges under the Computer Crime Act, alleging reputation damage to the business. While the police advised proper evidence assembling before proceeding, it was found that the original post had been removed. However, the shop had managed to save a captured screenshot of the post.