Health official given deadline for defence in sexual harassment case

[webfact]

Health official given deadline for defence in sexual harassment case

By The Nation

 

A man working for the Public Health Ministry has been given until the end of Friday to offer a defence against accusations that he sexually harassed four female subordinates.

Failure to do so would force a ministry fact-finding committee to base its finding on the available evidence, which would be unfavourable to him, Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn warned on Thursday. 

 

The unnamed man’s supervisor is also under scrutiny for allegedly failing to act on the complaints of harassment that went on for three years.

 

Piyasakol said the matter must be resolved as an example for all ministry branches, to maintain a “culture” of virtue and morality. 

 

He said the supervisor accused of failing to investigate the complaints and thus in effect allowing the alleged wrongdoing to continue was also being scrutinised.

 

A ministry source said the accused official had met members of the fact-finding panel to give his side of the story, but at a location other than his office, fearing reporters’ questioning. 

 

The panel members’ decision to interview the man elsewhere was seen as possibly inappropriate and in violation of regulations, the source said. 

 

The official, who heads a division of the Office of Permanent Secretary for Public Health, has been transferred pending the investigation’s outcome to a district office in Nonthaburi. 

 

The matter became public after one of the complainants – a 30-year-old married woman with children – led the others in secretly recording an alleged instance of harassment on video.

 

The video, submitted along with their testimony earlier this month, ended up on the social media, prompting widespread criticism and calls for the official to be punished.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30324180

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-18

[worgeordie]

Why give him time to make up a story, get him in the Police station,

why do they always seen to tip toe around when it's anyone with some

authority.

regards worgeordie

[colinneil]

What nonsense, giving him time to prepare a defence.

More like giving him time to threaten junior staff  !! back me or else !!

[KKr]

given this number and nature of accusations, indeed the lock-up seems to be a proper place to prepare the defense, rather than giving the opportunity to intimidate witnesses and victims. 

[Foozool]

Defence : I'm a sick loser. ?

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The panel members’ decision to interview the man elsewhere was seen as possibly inappropriate and in violation of regulations, the source said. 

 

Sounds more like a brainstorming meeting rather than an interrogation. Stand by for the shortlisted creative excuse.

[Khun Paul]

This shows up THAIN ESS as what is it is. Give the man time, arrest him, interview him, put him before a court for bail. Simple, he ois not imp[ortant the onl;y VIP in this country is HM, the rest as they say are nobodies.

[Cadbury]

19 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Why give him time to make up a story, get him in the Police station,

why do they always seen to tip toe around when it's anyone with some

authority.

regards worgeordie

Time is money as they say. And I suspect he has paid the money to buy the time he needs to concoct some pathetic defence argument with the help of his male peers who are probably doing much the same thing.