Whoever commits an indecent act on a person over fifteen years of age by threatening by any means whatsoever, by using force, while such person is in a state of being unable to resist, or by causing such person to mistake the offender for another person, shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding ten years, or fined not exceeding two hundred thousand Baht, or both.
The defendant touched the victim's intimate body areas without consent in a crowded public space. The Supreme Court convicted the defendant of committing an indecent act under Section 278. The Court held that touching intimate areas of another person's body, such as breasts, buttocks, or genitalia, without the person's consent constitutes an indecent act regardless of the location or context. The act need not involve full sexual intercourse to qualify under Section 278. The absence of consent is the critical element, and the victim's testimony regarding the unwanted touching, corroborated by witness accounts, was sufficient to establish the offense.
Disclaimer: The English translation is unofficial and for informational purposes only. The authoritative text is in Thai as published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette (Ratchakitchanubeksa).ข้อสงวนสิทธิ์: คำแปลภาษาอังกฤษเป็นคำแปลอย่างไม่เป็นทางการ เพื่อวัตถุประสงค์ในการให้ข้อมูลเท่านั้น ข้อความที่เป็นทางการเป็นภาษาไทยตามที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุเบกษา