If a man's brutal attack on his girlfriend had not been broadcast live on Facebook on Sunday, the whole story would probably have ended quite differently. There might have been no intervention either by observers or the police. And the 21-year-old victim, Kuldara Yeesaman, may have ended up being forced to suffer longer while being forced to stay silent, just as many other Thai women do.
But no wives or girlfriends should be forced to tolerate this type of abuse. The latest case sheds light on the need for society and law enforcement to deal more effectively with domestic violence, a problem which remains a taboo subject.
In what appeared to be barbaric torture of his girlfriend, 26-year-old Chaichana Sirichart apparently used household items in their Bangkok apartment -- from an iron to knives, electrical wires and a hair straightener. He broadcast part of the attack on Facebook for 11 minutes but police and doctors believe it lasted for eight to 10 hours. It was apparently his sixth assault on his girlfriend in their eight-month relationship, and it ended up with her lying on a hospital bed.
