Axe to grind: Thai father attacks son after suffering years of abuse

A Thai father snapped and attacked his son with an axe in a fit of rage at midnight today after he and his wife suffered years of physical abuse at the hands of the son in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen.

Officers from Manchakhiri Police Station received a report of a serious assault at a house in the Manchakhiri area at around 12.10am today, November 8. The officers then visited the scene, accompanied by rescuers from the Kut Khao Sub-district Foundation.

Police found a pool of blood near a wooden bench outside the house. The 42 year old Thai man, Nirut Sinpeng, was found with a severe wound to the back of his neck, and rescuers rushed him to Manchakhiri Hospital.

Nirut’s father, 64 year old Khamniang Sinpeng, admitted to being the attacker. The assault took place in front of his bedridden wife.

Khamniang confessed that he struck his son on the head and the back of his neck with the axe. He claimed that his son had been physically abusing both him and his wife for years and he could no longer endure the assaults.

Khamniang went on to explain that he drunk alcohol with his son earlier in the evening, and later the two had a heated argument. His son then grabbed a knife to threaten him, saying he would kill both Khamniang and his wife whenever he wanted.

Khamniang said he waited until his son stopped his rampage and had a meal before attacking him. The bloody axe was found at the scene. He added that his neighbours heard the chaos and the screams, so they came to check on him and called the police.

Khamniang is charged under Section 297 of the Criminal Law for physically assaulting another person resulting in severe injury to the victim. The penalty is imprisonment from six months and ten years and a fine from 10,000 to 200,000 baht.

The condition of Nirut was not disclosed in the report, and officers did not mention whether Nirut would face legal consequences for the domestic violence.