A lecturer at Rajabhat University in Si Sa Ket is under investigation after he was allegedly caught trying to force a female student to have sex with him in exchange for high grades.
Assistant Professor Prakasit Anuphapsanyakorn, the university's rector, confirmed he had ordered that the teacher be investigated for sexual misconduct, but declined to reveal the man's identity.
A committee had already been set up to examine the allegations, he said.
The lecturer's alleged misconduct was revealed after the female student telephoned another teacher asking him to send for police to rescue her from the room of a hotel the suspect had taken her to.
The female student said the lecturer asked her to have sexual intercourse with him in exchange for "A" grades in the subject he taught.
The student reported the incident to Warawit Netphra, another lecturer at the university.
Mr Warawit said he had heard rumours about the teacher's inappropriate behaviour towards female students before.
The female student said the accused phoned her on Monday afternoon, saying he wanted to take her for dinner while she was with her friend at an aquarium.
She said she had decided to go out with the accused in a bid to get him caught in the act. She also telephoned Mr Warawit to let him know about the dinner invitation.
But instead of taking her to a restaurant, the lecturer drove her to a hotel and checked into a room. He then tried to molest her and asked her to spend the night with him.
When the lecturer went for a bath, the victim said she phoned Mr Warawit who then alerted police.
Pol Lt Col Seksan Utho, deputy superintendent at Sisaket provincial police station, said he immediately led a team of officers to the hotel after receiving the complaint.
Police said that when officers arrived at the hotel and knocked on the door of the room, there was no answer.
Unable to get into the room, one of the officers decided to climb in through a window.
Upon entering the room he discovered the teacher wearing only a towel.
He took a photograph of the teacher for use as evidence.
The student was then taken by police to Muang Si Sa Ket station for questioning.
"He was caught in the act," the student said.
"What I've done is make him stop his inappropriate behaviour towards women," she added.
Mr Warawit has demanded that the university suspend the lecturer from his duties during the investigation to ensure the victim's safety.
There are various accounts of the accused's past behaviour that suggest students have become pregnant after being raped by him, Mr Warawit said.
Most of the victims have refused to file complaints against the lecturer, probably because they were threatened by him to keep quiet, Mr Warawit said.
"If he is allowed to continue his work at the university, the lives of female students may be at risk," he added.
Police have not lodged any sexual charges against the lecturer so far, due to a lack of evidence, said Pol Lt Col Seksan.
Police did not have evidence to prove that the teacher had sexually abused the student, he said.
The only thing investigators have to go on was an account from the female student who claimed she was taken to an hotel, said Pol Lt Col Seksan, and another teacher who backed up the student's claim that the suspect had asked her to have sex with him.