Thai woman arrested for acid attack on Vietnamese love rival 9 years ago

Police arrested a Thai woman in the southern province of Songkhla yesterday for an acid attack on a Vietnamese woman motivated by jealousy after she had evaded arrest for more than nine years.

Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) apprehended the suspect, 59 year old Nitsata, in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, yesterday, November 12, on a charge of attempted premeditated murder. The penalty for her criminal act will later be determined in court.

Her arrest came nine years after Nitsata committed the acid attack in June 2015. The Vietnamese victim sustained severe injuries, including permanent blindness in both eyes. The skin on her arms, legs, and chest was also severely affected.

The brutal attack was driven by jealousy. Nitsata’s Swedish husband, identified only as Rove, visited Vietnam alone on holiday, where he met and had an affair with the victim. Nitsata discovered their relationship.

Rove later invited the Vietnamese woman to travel to Thailand and they stayed at a hotel in Phatthalung province, where the incident occurred.

The two women argued outside the hotel, after which Nitsata threw acid, which she bought from a nearby shop, at the Vietnamese woman. Nitsata then fled the scene and evaded arrest for over nine years.

In a related story from June, a Thai couple was sentenced to 25 years in prison after attacking an 18 year old woman with acid. The male suspect reported to be the victim’s ex-boyfriend, committed the crime because the victim and her family previously sued him for taking a minor and causing property damage.

Another similar incident was reported in May in Phuket’s Chalong district, where a Thai woman was attacked with acid by her ex-girlfriend. There has been no report on the arrest of the attacker.

Also in May, a Thai woman was arrested in Kanchanaburi province for attacking her cheating husband with acid and a knife. The man narrowly survived after reaching the hospital in time, leading to her being charged with attempted murder.