Thai man assaults wife over digital wallet failure in Udon Thani

A Thai man in the Isaan province of Udon Thani physically assaulted his wife yesterday out of frustration after failing to receive 10,000 baht from the digital wallet scheme. The wife sustained a bloody wound to her head.

Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, and rescuers from the Song Serm Dhamma Satarn Foundation, yesterday, September 30, rushed to a house in the Mueang district of Udon Thani following a report of the assault. The victim, 46 year old Thaweeporn, was found sitting outside the house with an injury to her head.

Thaweeporn pointed inside the house to indicate where the attack took place. The attacker was none other than Thaweeporn’s husband, 43 year old Tum, who fled the scene before the police arrived.

Thaweeporn said she ran out to seek help from her sister, who lived next door. Her sister told police that Tum accused Thaweeporn of holding a knife and attempting to stab him but she denied this.

Thaweeporn explained that the digital wallet scheme was the motive behind the assault. She went to the bank that morning to check if the 10,000 baht from the scheme had been transferred to her husband’s account.

Unfortunately, no money had been transferred. The bank staff advised her to wait until October 20, so she returned home to inform her husband.

Tum became angry upon learning that he would have to wait longer for the money. An argument ensued, and in an attempt to calm him down, Thaweeporn bought him a bottle of alcohol. However, she misjudged the situation, as Tum became even angrier after drinking.

Tum then demanded more money from Thaweeporn to buy more alcohol and cigarettes. Another argument broke out, which escalated into a physical altercation. Tum repeatedly punched Thaweeporn and struck her head with a lock more than 10 times.

Thaweeporn revealed that she divorced her husband in 2019 but he refused to move out of her home. She asked him to change his behaviour and care for their children while she worked but he never did so. Thaweeporn added that this was the most serious altercation between them, and she was determined to take legal action against him.

Channel 3 reported that Thaweeporn was transferred to hospital. She has not yet filed a formal complaint against her husband.