Teenage girl gang-raped by 40 men over eight months in Thai village with population of only 100

Victim reportedly drugged and assaulted by multiple attackers while parents worked nights

The teenager was assaulted in a village in Phang Nga province, Thailand (Wiki Commons)

Police in Thailand are investigating the alleged gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in Thailand last year.

The victim, from a village with a population of 100 people on the island of Koh Raed, Phang Nga province, said up to 40 men had sexually assaulted her between May and December 2016.

The girl, now 15, first reported the sexual assaults in March, stating she was raped by an assailant at her home while her parents worked at night.

She said she was then subsequently forced to go to huts in the area where she was drugged and assaulted by multiple attackers.

Police official Boonthawee Torraksa told CNN the Phang Nga force were investigating the allegations.

Phang Nga province deputy governor Eggarat Leesen told the broadcaster that not all the suspected perpetrators are thought to be from the island, which may make the case more difficult to investigate.

The girl’s parents work at night as rubber tappers to collect latex from rubber trees, which meant the teenager was often left at home alone, according to local newspaper The Nation.

Mr Leesen said the tight-knit community of Koh Raed had been shocked by the allegations.

“Local residents are having stress from various degrees, depending on how the case affects them,” he said.

“Many of the residents said they don't believe this could happen. Since the village is small, if something happened they should have known.”

The family, who have reportedly faced threats from some neighbours, has been moved from the village and placed under police protection.