Police Sub-Lieutenant Accused of Sexual Assault on Server, Party Claims Incident Was 'Normal'
A police sub-lieutenant in Kanchanaburi is accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old waitress at a Thai BBQ restaurant, with CCTV footage released by the owner after the suspect's party allegedly dismissed the incident as "normal.
KANCHANABURI — May 21, 2026: A Moo Kata (Thai BBQ) restaurant owner has released security camera footage and demanded swift disciplinary action after a police sub-lieutenant allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old waitress and members of his party allegedly dismissed the incident as a "normal" occurrence.
CCTV footage shared on Facebook on Wednesday appeared to show a male customer inappropriately touching the young waitress at a local Thai BBQ eatery. According to the accompanying caption, the incident occurred on the night of Tuesday. Legal action is being pursued, with the restaurant management vowing not to overlook the offense and pledging to seek justice for their staff member.
Reporters visited the "Ton Pradoo Mookata" restaurant, a Thai BBQ establishment located in Lat Ya Sub-district, Mueang District, Kanchanaburi Province, to speak with the victim, Jane, 20, a server. She told reporters that at approximately 21:30 on Tuesday, she was attending to a large party of approximately 12 customers, consisting of both men and women.
One male customer, wearing a shirt featuring an emblem resembling a military or police insignia, called her over and asked her to sing. After consulting management, Jane said she was instructed to decline the request in order to avoid disturbing other patrons. She said she then returned to inform the customer, who allegedly asked her to step closer before reaching out and touching her inappropriately without her consent. Jane said she was shocked by the incident and immediately stepped away from the table before reporting the matter to the restaurant owner, who then contacted police.
Jane admits she is deeply shaken by what happened. Moreover, she expressed deep anxiety over her safety after learning her attacker is an active-duty police sub-lieutenant. She is just working a part-time job, having to ride a motorcycle home alone late at night.
Meanwhile, the restaurant owner, Phanupong, 31, informed reporters that after learning of the assault from his employee, he immediately contacted local authorities to handle the situation. When responding officers arrived, he led the victim to identify her attacker. The suspect denied the allegations and challenged the owner to check the establishment's CCTV network. He played the footage directly in front of the entire gathering.
Instead of apologizing, members of the accused officer's party allegedly shrugged off the footage, reportedly suggesting the act was "just a normal matter." Their reaction angered the owner, who said his employees work hard to earn a living and that he would not tolerate such conduct toward his staff. He said he would continue supporting the employee throughout the legal process. An official report has been lodged at the Lat Ya Police Station.
Furthermore, the owner called on the accused officer's superiors to intervene and ensure appropriate action is taken. He said police officers are expected to protect the public and uphold professional standards.