School launches disciplinary probe into teacher who posted sex clips

Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) chief Karoon Sakulpradit said yesterday that school director Witoon Wong-in had signed the order for the disciplinary probe and insisted that the school would take necessary steps with no favours shown to Sarot. 

A previous fact-finding investigation had found grounds for wrongdoing, including Sarot’s confession that he posted the sex clips online, which is a violation of the Computer Crimes Act, Karoon said. 

As for alleged sexual abuse of minors, further investigation was required to see if the people he had sex with were actually students or other minors – deemed a violation of both the Criminal Code, as well as the Government Teachers and Education Personnel Act’s Section 94. 

Karoon said he would have a team of Obec officials follow the school’s internal investigation at the orders of Education Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan, who wants this to be a cautionary tale for other teachers.

The head of Secondary Educational Service Area Office 1 in Bangkok, Anon Sukpakkit, said the disciplinary probe should also consider the Technology Crime Suppression Division’s investigation into the clips posted, plus an inquiry by the Teachers’ Council of Thailand (TCT) into Sarot’s alleged violation of professional ethics and other related information, so the punishment decided upon is appropriate, such as dismissal from the civil service. 

Education Ministry deputy permanent secretary Chaiyos Imsuwan, in his capacity as TCT’s acting secretary-general, said yesterday he has told the Professional Standards Committee about the decision to suspend Sarot’s licence and that the council’s own team was investigating the case, the result for which should be out this week.