23 year old arrested in Phuket for causing ex-girlfriend’s blindness

A 23 year old man was arrested by police for causing blindness to his former girlfriend after she shared her seven-year torment online. The woman, who was forced to wear a prosthetic eye after losing one in the assault, had posted a video on TikTok detailing her ordeal. In her post, she shared that her former boyfriend had physically abused her to the point of near-death, resulting in the loss of her eye. The accused, however, managed to avoid jail time as he was a minor at the time and repeatedly delayed the payment of a monthly compensation of 5,000 baht (US$145) before disappearing altogether.

The latest update on the case occurred today (December 27) at 8am, when Police Captain Napaphan Liemsonsuan, head of the 8th Provincial Police Bureau, led the arrest of the suspect, Anon (surname withheld), aged 23. The arrest was made in front of a residence on Chao Fa Road, Talat Nuea, Mueang District, Phuket. Anon was wanted in connection with a case from October 29, 2020, for causing harm to another person’s body resulting in severe injury, and was captured hiding out in Phuket.

The case came to light on February 9, when the victim, Natnicha (surname withheld), posted on TikTok about the incident that occurred when she was 17 years old in 2010. At the time, she was living with her then-boyfriend in Phuket. After a quarrel, the man became violent and struck her in the eye, causing her to collapse. She woke up in the hospital to be told that she had to undergo surgery to remove her eye due to severe trauma. To this day, she continues to wear a prosthetic eye and has vision only in one eye, reported Khao Sod.

Upon learning the identity of her attacker, Anon, the police sought an arrest warrant and proceeded with the case. However, Anon managed to evade arrest by posting bail and fleeing to the Central Juvenile and Family Court in Phuket. He failed to compensate the victim for her losses, prompting the 8th Provincial Police Bureau to track him down when they learned he had returned to his home in Phuket. Upon arrest, Anon was sent to the Juvenile and Family court in Phuket to face legal proceedings.

Anon has yet to give any statement in relation to the case. The investigation is ongoing.