BANGKOK — As police expand their investigation into serial violence against kindergarteners at a school northwest of Bangkok, similar allegations emerged at another school owned by the same executives.
Coming hot on the heels after a string of assaults on preschoolers was exposed at Witaed Ratchaphruek School, parents at Sarasas Witaed Romklao School in the southeastern suburbs of Bangkok came forward Thursday with stories of teachers strangling and beating kindergarten pupils.
“Three students were found to be assaulted by their teachers at the school,” parent representative Jatura Dheppratum said.
Jatura said an Anuban 3 pupil was choked and shoved against the whiteboard by a homeroom teacher, a Prathom 1 student was slapped by a teacher, while the third case happened to his son, who was allegedly hit multiple times with an aluminum ruler by his teacher.
“Bruises were all over his body. There were 14-15 injuries. I couldn’t accept it,” Jatura said. “I have filed a police complaint against the teacher and the court has scheduled a hearing on Monday.”
Although the series of violence against pupils at Witaed Ratchaphruek School were recorded in security camera footage, which went viral on social media, there were no cameras inside classrooms at Sarasas Witaed Romklao School.
Jatura said the parents submitted 400 signatures to the school management today to demand the school install security cameras and explain how many teachers at the school have teaching licenses.
On the same day, parents of students at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School continued to visit Chaiyapruek Police Station and lodge a complaint against babysitter Ornuma “Jum” Plodprong.
Ornuma now stands accused of at least 31 counts of assault so far, police said.
At least three other education workers were also charged for the assaults, including a Filipino national who did not have a work permit.
Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek and Sarasas Witaed Romklao schools are part of the chain of privately owned bilingual schools. The Sarasas group operates 49 schools around the country.
