Bangkok, June 29: A Hong Kong tourist was sentenced to 18 months in jail by a Thai court Tuesday after confessing to fabricating a claim she was gang raped in Bangkok earlier this month, officials from the criminal court said.
So Leong-Ying, 27, claimed she was raped by the driver of a "Tuk Tuk" three-wheeled taxi and three other men outside Parliament on June 3.
A Thai Tuk-Tuk driver was arrested but freed after police found no proof of her claim. The woman later admitted inventing the incident, saying she had been drunk and hoped to write a novel based on her story of being attacked.
Leong-ying was charged on three counts: filing a false complaint with police, defamation of the Tuk-Tuk driver and falsely testifying in court.
"The court initially convicted her on all three charge to three years in prison, but as she confessed the court halved her sentence to one year and six months," an official told reporters.



The convicted woman has 30 days to file an appeal with the court of appeals, the official added.



Leong-ying may also face civil charges from thai police, who have threatened to sue her for 10 million baht (241,000 dollars) on the grounds that her hoax story severely tarnished their image.



Tourism minister Sonthaya Khunploem has also threatened to sue her for the damage he claims she has wreaked on Thailand's tourism image.


Bureau Report