17-5-2023 (Bangkok) A Thai man has been taken into custody by the police following allegations made by his wife, who claimed that he sold her to settle a debt. The woman further accused her husband of forcing her to engage in sexual activities with a drug dealer in exchange for narcotics. However, the husband denied these allegations, asserting that his wife had actually requested to participate in group sex.
The incident unfolded when a 31-year-old woman lodged a complaint against her abusive spouse, identified as 27-year-old Em, at the Nang Rong Police Station in the Isaan province of Buriram on Monday, May 15. According to the woman, Em took her to a resort in the province, where he coerced her into having sexual intercourse with an unfamiliar individual who is believed to be both his creditor and a drug dealer. To manipulate and control her, Em recorded a video of the encounter, which he intended to use for blackmail.
The victim further revealed that she had endured a decade of abuse throughout their relationship. Fearing for her safety, she made the courageous decision to flee from their family home, taking her two children with her. She sought refuge with a relative before eventually reporting the harrowing ordeal to the police.
Law enforcement officers initiated an investigation into the mentioned resort, interviewing the staff regarding the alleged incident. Although one employee acknowledged encountering the woman and her husband on two separate occasions, they claimed to be unaware of any sexual assault taking place.
Following a thorough investigation, the police apprehended Em on the grounds of a cassava plantation in the Loei province. At the time of his arrest, Em was working alongside his mother. Despite the serious allegations against him, Em vehemently denied the accusations, contending that it was, in fact, his wife who had expressed a desire for group sexual encounters and had even encouraged him to find five individuals to partake in such activities. However, he admitted to recording the encounter and insisted that the woman had consented to the video being made.
Authorities remained unconvinced by Em’s account and subsequently transported him from Loei to Buriram for further interrogation. As a result of their investigation, two charges have been filed against Em under the Criminal Law:
- Section 276: Engaging in non-consensual sexual intercourse with a woman through threats or acts of violence, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for four to 20 years and a fine ranging from 80,000 to 400,000 baht. If the perpetrator records a video, image, or voice during the sexual assault, the penalties are even more severe than those stipulated in Section 276.
- Section 284: Abducting and forcing another individual into committing indecent acts through the use of violence, deception, or threats, punishable by imprisonment for one to 10 years and a fine of 2,000 to 20,000 baht.
Additionally, the police have announced their intention to conduct a further investigation to apprehend the drug dealer involved in the sexual assault.
