Police probe video of mother beating 5-year-old son for not selling enough souvenirs

[webfact]

Police Probe Video of Mother Beating Son For Not Selling Enough Souvenirs

By Khaosod English

A screenshot from the video of a woman who was filmed beating her 5-year-old son because he failed to sell enough key rings to foreign tourists in the historic town of Ayutthaya.

AYUTTHAYA Police are investigating the case of a woman who was filmed beating her 5-year-old son because he failed to sell enough key rings to foreign tourists in the historic town of Ayutthaya.

The investigation came after a video of the woman repeatedly hitting her son was widely circulated on social media. The video appears to be filmed inside the compound of Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit temple in Ayutthayas historic old quarters, a popular tourist destination.

In the video, the child is crying and begging his mother to stop hitting hum, but she continues to beat and yell at him for failing to sell enough key rings to foreign tourists.

That guy runs, he catches up with customers! Why didnt you run like him, damn you! the mother shouts at her son in the video.

Today police officers and social workers visited the home of the woman in the now-infamous video, but no one was home when the police force arrived.

A neighbour, Ploenchit Noirangsi, told police that the woman is known by locals as Kaew, and that she lives with her son and husband. According to Ms. Ploenchit, Ms. Kaew used to work at a factory, but recently lost her job and decided to take her son to sell keyrings to tourists. Ms. Kaew also reportedly takes her son sell keyrings to tourists at restaurants at night.

"It's already 10-11 pm when they get home each day," Ms. Ploenchit said. She added that Ms. Kaew's son attends a local kindergarten.

Ms. Ploenchit also told police she has seen Ms. Kaew beating her son from time to time, but she has never seen an outburst of violence like in the video.

"I am very sad. I used to take care of the boy when he was small. I feel so much pity for him, Mr. Ploenchit said.

She added that Ms. Kaew and her family fled the house after the video surfaced on social media.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Sermkit Sitthichaiyakan, a commander of Ayutthaya police force, said the police tracked down the woman's home soon after the video first surfaced in order to intervene and help the family.

"We didn't intend to make any arrest. We want to find a solution and help them, because violence against children will imprint violent memories on the child. He may repeat the violence in the future and affect society on a wider scale," Pol.Maj.Gen. Sermkit explained. "That's why we want to [determine] what was the cause of the violence."

He added that parents should not force their children to hawk goods to tourists during the day or at night, as children should be in school instead.

Wicharapon Chairattana, an official of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security in Ayutthaya province, said authorities will attempt to locate Ms. Kaew and determine whether she is capable of raising her child in a safe environment.

"We believe the family was stressed by their situation of poverty, and so [Kaew] committed violence against her child," said Mr. Wicharapon.

Once Ms.Kaew is found, she will be reprimanded and could face legal prosecution if she abuses her child again, Mr. Wicharapon said.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1403173856

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zb7dN1tsYQ

-- Khaosod English 2014-06-19

[Valentine]

I don't care how stressed you are, there is no excuse for violence against a small child, even more so when it is patently obvious the child is in extreme distress.

[ratcatcher]

What she needs is "a damn good whacking" (Just joking before I get flamed.)

[Costas2008]

Once Ms.Kaew is found, she will be reprimanded and could face legal prosecution if she abuses her child again, Mr. Wicharapon said.

What about someone giving her a good beating now.

Seen so many little kids selling Buddha flowers on the roads and the mother or father watching them safe from the pavement.

Police should take some action.

[Somtamnication]

Disgusting.

[terryp]

[SABloke]

Heartless bitch

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[UbonRatch]

"We didn't intend to make any arrest. We want to find a solution and help them, because violence against children will imprint violent memories on the child. He may repeat the violence in the future and affect society on a wider scale," Pol.Maj.Gen. Sermkit explained. "That's why we want to [determine] what was the cause of the violence."

"We believe the family was stressed by their situation of poverty, and so [Kaew] committed violence against her child," said Mr. Wicharapon.

Yet again Thailand is 50 years behind the times, not that this is anything new to us. No arrest, after beating a 5 year old? Determine the cause of violence, as if it isn't that the child is a slave to parents to earn money?

Social Services in any Western country would have removed the child immediately, and the parents WOULD BE arrested.

Yet again, with all the concern for immigrant abuse, is the internal Thai child abuse ignored, as it is too threatening to the 'FACE' of Thailand.

Take the child away, NCPO, and start to set up PSYCHOLOGICAL support units for such children, and the mentally ill. It is not embarassing for humans to have ill-adjusted mental traits. Time you got REAL.

Edited June 19, 2014 by UbonRatch

[Briggsy]

Drugs. Money for drugs.

[coma]

Beating a child on temple grounds. What a Buddhist.

[Commander Tamson]

Anybody care to make guess at where the father was or what he was doing at the time?

No prizes for the correct answer

[nightshift]

I have witnessed a friend of my then girlfriend beating a child so hard he couldn't scream anymore, just a sort of wimper. It has haunted me for years. I couldn't intervene as TIT, but I never spoke to her again.

[NongKhaiKid]

Not much probing needed but as usual the authorities will waltz around the problem

For a country that espouses Thainess involving the family unit the bonds are selective and surprise, surprise money is involved.

[transam]

I have witnessed a friend of my then girlfriend beating a child so hard he couldn't scream anymore, just a sort of wimper. It has haunted me for years. I couldn't intervene as TIT, but I never spoke to her again.

Up to you, but TIT doesn't come into any equation if "bounds" have been past.......

[WitawatWatawit]

Clearly not the first time she has beaten him, judging by the way he edged away from her and then jumped backwards when it looked like she was reaching for him. And then to see her thump him hard on the back with her balled up fist. Wow. Sicko.

[Bluespunk]

Deleted

Agreed.

Thanks. Deleted post after thinking on it. i stand by what said but not sure want the inevitable flare up it would have caused.

[cgphuket]

No excuse at all, but at the same time, poverty drives people to extreme and dysfunctional behavior. In a country where children go to bed hungry and the elderly beg in the street, every time i see somebody (Thai or farang) loading their shopping bags full of high-end garbage into their Mercedes, I want to puke.

[UbonRatch]

Chottee, you disgust me, and probably many members here.

This is exactly where so called Thainess introduces its totally unacceptable ways of life, that are so ancient they are barbaric.

You suggest this action is ok. I also guess you suggest the percentage of young female sexual abuse (estimated, and almost conclusive, but not recorded {as yet}) at 25%), by fathers, brothers, uncles, and who ever may be permitted to be a party to such abuse at profit is ok, because it is Thainess?

Thainess = don't interfere with our long and superb culture, because we are fine and we don't need international direction to become a worthwhile global community?

[lemonjelly]

Put the kid up for adoption.

[UbonRatch]

Deleted

Agreed.

Thanks. Deleted post after thinking on it. i stand by what said but not sure want the inevitable flare up it would have caused.

I understood, and compliment you for not expressing disgust. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop myself; especially pertaining to chotthee's passive comment.

You are more the wiser on this one.

[thumper101]

Chances are that she was beaten as a child herself, and passed this down to her own.

I foresee that the child in turn will do the same to his own children.

If she had an ounce of sense, she would have got better results by just telling her child in a nice way, how to sell the keyrings best.

Now I really feel for the kid who is going to have to go out selling while constantly trembling with fear.

I doubt it will ever happen again, she has suffered maximum face loss with this going viral and i wonder what she thinks when she watches herself beating the holy crap out of something so small and defenceless that she also happens to love.

Edited June 19, 2014 by thumper101

[Just1Voice]

Can I have 5 minutes alone in a room with the bitch? Please!

[thumper101]

Can I have 5 minutes alone in a room with the bitch? Please!

Why???

You want to provide her with a new child to beat?

I suggest you go and beat your own instead.

[Loles]

" We didn't intend to make any arrest. "

WHY ?

[metisdead]

A post condoning the abuse of this child has been removed as well as the replies.

[jaltsc]

It's amazing...If an adult hits another adult, he or she gets arrested immediately...But if an adult parent hits a defenseless child, they say the parent was doing his or her duty. This is true for practically every society in the world.

Edited June 19, 2014 by jaltsc

[moe666]

Child abuse is a world wide issue, many people do not have the skills or emotional maturity to raise a child correctly. My son works for a social welfare department in Boulder Colorado and never kid your selves he gets as many calls about abuse from the upscale part of town as the low end and they have to investigate each and every call.

[djjamie]

Seems the DRT may have to reform the child abuse laws as well if the police are not going to arrest her.

A strong message needs to go out that child abuse will not be tolerated.

A women can get 15 years and 1.5 million baht fine for a 1/4 gram of coke and this women will get a stern talking to?

Where are you General Preyuth?

[surangw]

children are still considered property by many thais

Edited June 19, 2014 by surangw

[Roadman]

"We didn't intend to make any arrest. We want to find a solution and help them, because violence against children will imprint violent memories on the child. He may repeat the violence in the future and affect society on a wider scale," Pol.Maj.Gen. Sermkit explained. "That's why we want to [determine] what was the cause of the violence."

"We believe the family was stressed by their situation of poverty, and so [Kaew] committed violence against her child," said Mr. Wicharapon.

Yet again Thailand is 50 years behind the times, not that this is anything new to us. No arrest, after beating a 5 year old? Determine the cause of violence, as if it isn't that the child is a slave to parents to earn money?

Social Services in any Western country would have removed the child immediately, and the parents WOULD BE arrested.

Yet again, with all the concern for immigrant abuse, is the internal Thai child abuse ignored, as it is too threatening to the 'FACE' of Thailand.

Take the child away, NCPO, and start to set up PSYCHOLOGICAL support units for such children, and the mentally ill. It is not embarassing for humans to have ill-adjusted mental traits. Time you got REAL.

Are Social Services removing children the best answer?

From my own experiences someone intervening and stopping the beatings to be able to stay in a family home with all it's other positives aside from the beatings would have been more desirable than being removed at a young age and going through the upheaval and total bewilderment and psychological abuse of welfare and foster homes.