Somluck Kamsing sentenced to prison for taking a minor from guardians

An appeal court has amended the lower court’s judgment in the case against Somluck Kamsing, sentencing him to one year and 12 months in prison without suspension for taking a minor away and acquitting him of attempted rape.

The Court of Appeal, Region IV, in Khon Kaen scheduled the judgment hearing for 9am on Tuesday (October 20, 2026).

Somluck was the first defendant and Pichet Chinehanta the second.

The case involved charges of jointly taking a minor aged over 15 and no more than 18 away from her parents, guardians or carers for indecent purposes, and attempted rape.

Both defendants arrived to hear the appeal court’s judgment, smiling and accompanied by about 10 people who came to offer support.

Under the revised judgment, Somluck was acquitted of attempted rape involving the use of force.

His only remaining conviction was for jointly taking a minor aged over 15 and no more than 18 away for indecent purposes.

The court imposed an unsuspended prison term of one year and 12 months and ordered him to pay an additional THB80,000 in compensation.

Somluck was in the process of applying to the court for bail.

The appeal court upheld the lower court’s acquittal of Pichet, the second defendant.

The lower court had sentenced Somluck to four years and eight months on Thursday (January 23, 2025), before reducing the term by one-third because his statements had assisted its consideration of the case.

This left a sentence of two years, 13 months and 10 days, together with an order to pay compensation.

Somluck subsequently applied for provisional release to appeal against the judgment.

Khon Kaen Provincial Court granted provisional release pending appeal, setting bail at THB300,000, before the appeal court scheduled Tuesday’s judgment hearing.

The case arose from a police complaint filed by a 17-year-old girl from Kalasin against Somluck and others over an incident at about 4.30am on Sunday (December 10, 2023), following a visit to an entertainment venue within Khon Kaen municipality.

Somluck later met investigators and denied the allegations, stating at the time that he had not known the girl was 17.

Prosecutors in Khon Kaen subsequently brought several charges against Somluck and Pichet as the first and second defendants respectively.

These comprised jointly taking a minor aged over 15 and no more than 18 away from her parents, guardians or carers for indecent purposes, even though she went willingly; jointly taking a person in the same age range away for indecent purposes, even with that person’s consent; attempted rape using force; and committing an indecent act against a person aged over 15 using force.

Both defendants denied the charges.