Section 284/2 — Sexual harassment of a child
English translation
Whoever commits the offence of sexual harassment under Section 284/1 against a child not over fifteen years of age shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, or both.
The offence under this Section is not a compoundable offence.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 284/2 is the child-victim aggravation of the sexual-harassment offence in Section 284/1. Its elements are the same harassing conduct defined in Section 284/1, committed against a victim who is a child not over fifteen years of age, which raises the ceiling to five years and one hundred thousand baht. Critically, the section expressly declares the offence non-compoundable, meaning it cannot be terminated by a private settlement or withdrawal of the complaint. Together with Sections 284/3 and 284/4, it forms the reinforced protective regime attached to the base harassment offence.
Why this matters in practice
The most consequential feature for an accused is that the offence is non-compoundable: unlike many minor offences, it cannot be closed by reaching a private agreement with the family, so the case proceeds regardless of any settlement. Exposure reaches five years where the victim is a child not over fifteen, well above the base harassment offence. Given the child-victim element and the bar on settlement, early legal advice is important; a firm overview is available on criminal law in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Section 284/2 case be settled with the victim's family?
No. The section expressly states that the offence is not compoundable, so it cannot be terminated by a private settlement or withdrawal of the complaint.
What is the penalty for sexually harassing a child under Section 284/2?
Imprisonment not exceeding five years or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, or both, where the victim is a child not over fifteen years of age.