A Thai politician was served an arrest warrant over the alleged rape of a Taiwanese female tourist.

Bangkok MP Chaiyamphawan Munpianjitt, 35, of the Thai Progressive Party, was said to have molested the Taiwanese woman, identified only as 'Miss C', whom he had been drinking with at a bar on January 9.

The tourist claimed the politician took her to a hotel in Chiang Mai province at around 2 am, where he allegedly raped her while she was drunk. Police launched an investigation after receiving the woman's report.

They gathered evidence, including medical examinations and security camera footage, and obtained an arrest warrant on February 4.

A provincial police officer said: 'The victim reported to police that she did not consent. When a victim appears before police, we must investigate and gather evidence. The woman was sent for a medical examination, which confirmed signs of assault.'

The Royal Thai Police submitted a letter to Parliament requesting to arrest Chaiyamphawan, who had parliamentary immunity, on February 7. However, he had already fled overseas.

Police Colonel Damnoen Kanong, deputy commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, said: ‘The Taiwanese consulate has been closely monitoring this case. We have gathered all evidence and taken all possible actions.

‘However, the suspect is an MP, so we must follow legal procedures, which prevent us from making an arrest or taking further action without approval. The Provincial Police had to submit a letter to the regional office, which was then forwarded to the national police chief or deputies to seek permission from the House of Representatives.'

Arpath Sukhanunth, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives, said the matter was expected to be discussed in an urgent session on February 20.

Thai Progress Party leader Watcharapol Butsomkorn claimed he had not spoken to Chaiyamphawan about the accusation. He said the party would give the MP a chance to explain himself.

Chaiyamphawan, a first-term MP, had previously been expelled from the Move Forward Party on November 2023, after being unanimously kicked out over sexual harassment allegations reported by three women.

He joined the Thai Progressive Party, where he advocated for marriage equality and constitutional reforms.

The The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand said it has received information about the case. It said: 'We hope that the media refrain from disclosing the details of the case in order to respect and protect the privacy of the Taiwanese individual concerned.'