A heartbroken woman in Udon Thani has taken the difficult step of reporting her husband to the authorities after discovering he had abused their 13-year-old niece in their shared home. The woman, identified as Noi, expressed her devastation, revealing that she loves the girl as if she were her own daughter.
Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station responded to a call at a residence in the Nong Nakham sub-district, where they arrested 53-year-old Nattaphon. He was apprehended outside the house by a community leader prior to the police’s arrival.
Noi, 49, has been married to Nattaphon for over a decade. She disclosed that while she had caught him in several extramarital affairs previously, she never imagined he would harm a minor. The girl is the daughter of Nattaphon’s sister, Ae.
In her statement to the police, Noi described how she had noticed suspicious behavior from her husband and had been keeping a close watch on him. One night, after hearing him get up, she became concerned when there was no sound coming from the bathroom. Investigating further, she entered her niece’s room and found Nattaphon in a compromising situation.
The girl later confided in Noi that Nattaphon had been abusing her for nearly a year, threatening her to keep it a secret. She shared that he had previously attacked her, instilling fear that prevented her from speaking out.
Nattaphon admitted to the abuse but claimed it was due to intoxication, denying that he had ever forced the girl into any actions. He expressed remorse to his sister, the girl’s mother, but she has refused to forgive him.
Following a drug test that returned negative results, police charged Nattaphon with the sexual assault of a minor under 15. The potential penalties for this crime include imprisonment of five to 20 years and fines ranging from 100,000 to 400,000 baht.