Sex abuse `rife' in civil service

BANGKOK: -- Complaints about sexual harassment at workplaces were pouring into the Civil Service Commission's complaint centre soon after its opening yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Krue-ngarm said.

Mr Visanu said many female staff, particularly those in the teaching career, complained about sexual harassment by male superiors who tried to intimidate them with the government's plan to reduce the civil service workforce by 5 percent.

Some of the complainants said their superiors threatened to put them in the category of inefficient workers targeted for the staff cut, after the complainants spurned their sexual advances. Others said they were frequent victims of verbal sexual harassment at their workplaces.

Mr Visanu said the centre would look into all complaints. Cases with sufficient grounds would be investigated.

Complaints should be made to the centre's hotline 1786, or Tel 02-2812516

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-27

Sure. There obviously exists sexual harassment in the Thai civil service, as it exists in all stratas and sectors of Thai society in general.

Thailand is a male-dominated society and for this kind of abuse not to exist would be an abnormality. I think the sexual harassment that ocurrs here is probably no worse than found in many other western countries.

It is common knowledge amongst governmentt officers that prostitution within the service does exist. (My ex-girlfriend is still a government officer and is a testament to what goes on.)

It always involves fairly lowly, female officers being coerced through offers of promotion, perks and financial rewards (obviously) to accompany their seniors (middle and high ranking government officers) to restaurants and short-time hotels after working hours. Usually the men in question are married with families.

Also, it's no secret that a woman's looks play an important part in the recruitment process; i.e. a good looking female stands a much better chance of success at the "interview" than a plainer applicant.

Yes folks....this is Thailand.