Olympic legend Somluck Khamsing has been accused of rape. The 50 year old won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics and was also a top level Muay Thai fighter.
He made headlines in Thailand yesterday for very different reasons. Somluck stands accused of raping a 17 year old who he met in a bar in his native Khon Kaen.
The accusations have been widely published in the Thai media and the alleged victim even provided some photos of the former boxer asleep in bed to support her accusations.
เปิดใจ "สมรักษ์" ลั่นไม่รู้ว่าสาวอายุ 17 ปี ยืนยันหนักแน่นไม่ได้ข่มขืน ให้รอพิสูจน์#สมรักษ์คำสิงห์ #ไทยรัฐออนไลน์ pic.twitter.com/rpcoxzcvAw
— Thairath_News (@Thairath_News) December 11, 2023
Legal age
Somluck admits that he met the victim at a pub in Kon Khaen and went back to a hotel afterwards with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with her. But he claims that when the alleged victim revealed she was only 17 he immediately lost interest and fell asleep.
The alleged victim is above the age of consent in Thailand which is 17. In a press conference Somluck pointed out that she was too young to be in the venue where he met her and protested his innocence saying,
“I am an Olympic gold medalist. I’ve never raped anyone.”
"สมรักษ์ คำสิงห์" เปิดใจให้สัมภาษณ์กับผู้สื่อข่าว ยืนยันไม่รู้จริงๆ ว่าน้องเขาอายุ 17 ปี เพราะเจอในสถานบันเทิง เยาวชนเข้าไม่ได้อยู่แล้ว น้องเขามาขอดื่มกินด้วยที่โต๊ะ แล้วก็กลับมาด้วยกัน จนถึงห้องรู้ว่าน้องเขายังเป็นเยาวชนก็ตกใจ
“หน้าอย่างผมหรือจะไปข่มขืนคน ผมไม่เคยข่มขืนใคร… pic.twitter.com/dND61jTMhu
— Thairath_News (@Thairath_News) December 11, 2023
Top level
Somluck made history in 1996 when he became the first Thai to ever win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. He makes regular appearance on television in Thailand and as well as being a successful fighter he has also starred in movies and written music.
As a Muay Thai fighter he faced the likes of Jomhod Kiatidisak, Buakaw Banchamek and Boonlai Sor Thanikul. Due more to promotional politics than a lack of ability he never got to fight for a major title in Thailand.
These days Somluck’s popularity transcends sport . His daughter, Rakwanee Kamsing, is a social media star who has 1.9 million followers on Instagram.
Somluck doesn’t appear to use social media but is instantly recognizable to Thai people of all ages due to his regular television appearances. It remains to be seen whether any criminal charges will be filed as the accusations appear to have been made entirely through the media.
Somluck is divorced and was at pains to point out that he is a single man. But whatever the outcome of the actual case the damage done to the Thai legend’s reputation might prove to be irreparable.
