The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will appeal the sentence handed down to a former decorated top level civil servant who sexually molested a cabin attendant and two female passengers on a Thai Airways (THAI) flight two years ago.

The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced Charnchai Phijitphakdeekul to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years.

In a statement yesterday, the OAG said it thought Charnchai should serve the sentence immediately.

"His past civil service and a Royal decoration [cited by the court as the reason for its leniency] should have made him a more considerate person than ordinary individuals," the statement said.

"The crime is a felony and highly hostile to women. 

"The OAG does not approve of the verdict in which imprisonment is suspended," the statement, which was signed by deputy OAG spokesman Poramet Intharachumnum, read.

"The convicted man does not deserve a chance by having his sentence suspended.

"The suspension of his prison term might set a bad example and possibly influence others into thinking that sexually harassing cabin attendants will not subject them to immediate imprisonment," the statement read. Charnchai, 47, a former C-8 Highways Department official, was also fined Bt15,000 for sexually harassing the air hostess and two female passengers on flight TG-517 between Bangkok and Dubai on September 25, 2003.

The Criminal Court's verdict cited his past civil service and a Royal decoration as the reason for suspending the sentence.

The OAG said it had encouraged THAI to post warning signs about sexual molestation and harassment of female cabin crew and other passengers and that violators faced criminal prosecution and sentencing in Thailand.

The unnamed hostess said she would not file a civil charge against Charnchai because she was not seeking compensation.

"I brought the case to court for the sake of other women who have suffered similar ordeals or are at risk of facing it," she said.

She wanted to fight for other women by raising public concern that women who were victims of sex crimes are often stereotypically seen as having played a part in causing the incident, by dressing provocatively, for example.

"Actually those who are culpable are the men who do the harassing," she said.

The woman complained about facing public exposure during the court proceedings and after the verdict was reached.

"I feel like I was repeatedly harassed when the media and public set their sights on me and asked me over and over again about the details of the incident. I want to tell them that the one who should be blamed is the wrongdoer, not me," she said.

Meanwhile, a senior Friends of Women Foundation staff member said she would propose THAI stop or limit alcohol distribution during flights to minimise the chance of passenger misdemeanour or sexual harassment.

Suphensri Phuengkhokesoong called on the court to make Charnchai serve his sentence. She cited a study that claimed most criminals in sexually related crimes were repeat offenders.