"Kardee" issues statement on sexual harassment case, affirming adherence to international principles in protecting victims' rights.

Today (3 April) at 2:00 PM at the Democrat Party headquarters, Ms. Kardee Leowpairoj, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, held a press conference regarding the alleged sexual harassment of a former Democrat Party MP. She stated that the process within the party and the responsibility of the party leadership in this matter are to protect the reputation and dignity of the victim, in accordance with the principle of survivor-friendly justice, which is currently practiced according to international standards.

Ms. Kardee continued that the party leadership learned of the incident after it occurred. The leadership, including herself, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva (party leader), and Mr. Sakoltee Phatthiyakul (party-list MP), received the information and recognized the issue as sensitive. "Sexual harassment, regardless of its location, is something we find unacceptable, and we dealt with it immediately within the party's regulations, starting with the formation of a fact-finding committee.

Ms. Kardee continued, 'We spoke with both parties, the accused and the victim. Based on our unacceptable standards in this matter, we believed there was indeed inappropriate behavior. As party leadership, we had the option of conducting an investigation and keeping the information confidential, limiting the public to protect the victim's dignity and adhering to party principles. This led to a decision to suspend the accused from their duties for six months, the most severe punishment under current party regulations.'

Ms. Kardee added, 'Another option is immediate expulsion from the party, but that would involve a sensitive process, and the victim's information could be widely known. Therefore, the three-person committee decided to prioritize protecting the victim's reputation, with the victim's consent. This is why we have already punished the accused.'

Ms. Kardee concluded, 'We consider this a serious matter, and in politics, it's unacceptable. Today, as fellow women, we must establish clear regulations and create a positive standard for future political work.'" "Including any organization, we should not allow these incidents to happen," said Ms. Radklao Intawong Suwannakiri, deputy leader of the Democrat Party. She added that the party will closely monitor the ongoing legal process to ensure that no wrongdoing has occurred. Furthermore, the party will focus on providing a safe space for those affected, allowing them to continue living and working in their chosen professions with equal opportunities and a sense of security. Regarding emotional support, the party prioritizes this and is coordinating with experts to provide ongoing care for those affected.

Ms. Kardee concluded by saying that those accused of inappropriate behavior have already resigned from the party. The party assures that it will not remain inactive and will take immediate and swift action to prevent the leakage of information that could damage the reputations of those affected.