Court denies bail to Thai policewoman who allegedly kept soldier as a slave

Ratchaburi Provincial Court yesterday denied bail to the policewoman who allegedly kept a female soldier as a “slave” and tortured her for two years in central Thailand.

The 43 year old policewoman, who worked for the Special Branch Bureau, allegedly manipulated and tortured the 30 year old soldier by forcing her to work as a slave, hitting her with a metal rod, burning her skin with a curling iron, setting her hair on fire after spraying alcohol on it, shocking her with a taser and slapping her in the face.

The soldier went on Channel 3’s show Hone Krasae on Thursday, telling viewers she was kept as a slave by a serving member of Ratchaburi Police, who is also a Special Branch officer and allegedly the mistress of a Thai senator.

The victim said the policewoman promised to get her a position in the army – even though she was already a soldier – if she paid 500,000 baht in installments and work as her “maid.”

The alleged slave master burst into tears in court and presented a doctor’s certificate claiming she has a mental illness, which was issued the day before she surrendered to police. She said she has been receiving treatment for two years to control her “rage.”

The defendant’s lawyer and younger brother travelled to the court to present assets and cash as a request for the policewoman’s bail. However, the court denied the request and took the policewoman into detention to await trial.

The policewoman is facing slavery and human trafficking charges and is accused of using force against another person as well as being a government official who benefits from forced labour.

On Saturday, former Democrat Party MP Watchara Petthong called for an investigation within the Senate to find out whether a senator is involved with the defendant…

“If found to have been complicit in his mistress’ immoral acts, the senator should be held accountable for the crime too.”

Watchara lodged a formal request to the Speaker of the Senate on Sunday.

The victim’s story calls for probes into corruption within the Royal Thai Army, the Special Branch Bureau of the Royal Thai Police, and the Senate. Netizens are questioning several things: why a police officer has the power to have a soldier work for them personally, why a soldier would work as a maid instead of serving the nation, and why a police officer has the power to promote someone in the army.

SOURCE: ThaiPbs