Phatcharaporn Urges Child Safety After Near Sexual Assault in Ayutthaya

A close call in Ayutthaya has shaken a quiet community and prompted a mother’s urgent plea for better child safety measures. The subject: a nine-year-old boy who narrowly escaped what his family describes as an attempted sexual assault on school grounds. The mother, 35-year-old Phatcharaporn, went public with her fears in an interview with Channel 7 on January 4, asking local authorities and neighbours to be vigilant after the frightening incident in Tha Rue district.

According to the boy’s account, the man arrived on an orange motorcycle and approached a group of children who had gathered at the closed school to play. The brand and plate number of the bike were not recognised by the child. What began as a stranger trying to appear harmless soon took a disturbing turn: the man asked the boy to go with him to a bathroom, saying he felt dizzy and needed to wash his face. When the child refused, the suspect tried another angle—offering an unidentified medicine and later asking to take the boy’s photograph and to meet up on January 10.

The situation escalated when the man embraced the child and made unwanted physical contact. Startled and terrified, the boy fled the scene and ran straight home, where he told his mother what had happened. Phatcharaporn wasted no time. She rushed back to the school to search the area but found that the man had already left. She subsequently filed a police complaint and urged the village head to warn other families.

“I am very worried about the safety of my son and the children in our village,” Phatcharaporn told reporters. Her message was both practical and urgent: parents, teachers and local officials need to tighten safeguards, and residents should immediately report any suspicious behaviour to the village head or the police. She stressed community vigilance as the best defence against repeat incidents.

While this episode did not result in a physical abduction, it has put a spotlight on a wider problem. In a separate and more severe case in Udon Thani, authorities recently arrested a man accused of raping at least seven young girls. Reports indicated the suspect lured victims to his home; local outlets also published unverified claims that he is HIV-positive, a detail police have not confirmed. The string of incidents across the region has spurred anxiety among parents and local leaders about the safety of children when schools are closed or unsupervised.

These events raise uncomfortable but necessary questions: How do communities protect children when public spaces are empty or lightly supervised? What protocols do schools and village councils have in place for off-hours safety? And perhaps most importantly, how do neighbours transform concern into concrete action?

Community responses already underway offer some sensible first steps. Phatcharaporn asked that the village head issue a notice to families, and police are reportedly investigating the Ayutthaya case. Parents in many neighbourhoods are also beginning informal patrols and organizing voluntary watch groups to increase visibility around schools and common play areas—simple deterrents that can have an immediate impact.

Experts and child-safety advocates suggest practical measures that are easy to implement: keep small groups of children together in supervised settings; educate kids in age-appropriate ways about saying “no” and seeking help; maintain clear lines of communication between parents, teachers and local authorities; and encourage neighbours to report unusual behaviour promptly. A community that talks and acts together can drastically reduce opportunities for predators to operate unnoticed.

It’s also worth remembering that prevention involves more than physical measures. Accurate reporting, quick police response, and follow-through on complaints send a message that such behaviour will not be tolerated. That reassurance matters to families who must trust that their children can play and learn without fear.

For Phatcharaporn and her son, the ordeal has been deeply unsettling—but it also galvanized them to speak up. By sharing their story publicly, they hope to spur action that will protect other children. The broader lesson from the Udon Thani arrest and the Ayutthaya incident is clear: communities must remain alert, agencies must investigate thoroughly, and residents must not hesitate to report suspicions.

If you live in the area: check in with local school administrators about after-hours access, coordinate safety plans with neighbours, and make sure children know who to call if they feel unsafe. And if you see someone acting strangely around children, contact local law enforcement or your village head immediately—early reports can prevent tragedy.

The shock of a near-miss can mobilise people. With vigilance, coordination and timely action, communities in Ayutthaya, Udon Thani and beyond can make public spaces safer for the children who play in them.