The uproar sparked by accusations a navy admiral's wife kicked a pregnant woman during a petty spat, then tried to keep her quiet, says a lot about what is wrong with Thai society.
The case should not have become an issue at all, but instead it ended up consuming the whole nation as a symbol of class struggle, complete with criticism about how the rich and powerful influence the justice process and get away with wrongdoing.
The hubbub over this relatively small incident should inform the powers-that-be about how perceived inequalities -- and the widespread feeling that the system is malleable for the privileged few -- remain prevalent among the population.
But it's not completely clear who did what in the chain of incidents which has dominated forums in the online community.
Police are still investigating physical assault charges. According to news reports, the incident occurred on Oct 14. It started when a two-year-old opened the door of the car he was in, hitting the car next to it, a red-plated Mercedes.
The child's aunt apologised to the Mercedes's owner. The child's mother -- who is four months pregnant -- suggested they settle the damage through their insurance companies.
The elder woman, however, was reportedly incensed by the accident and launched a verbal tirade against the child and his mother.
The aunt became scared, and brought the child back into the car. For some reason, she again scraped the side of the Merecedes when she closed the car door.
The second strike reportedly sent the Mercedes's owner into a rage. A physical fight then occurred between the three women. The pregnant woman claimed the Mercedes owner kicked her while the elder woman said she had only raised her leg to defend herself.
A video clip of the incident was unclear. It only showed the women seemingly in a quarrel with the Mercedes owner, who at the end falls on her bottom. A group of people who claimed to witness the incident said she fell down on her own after kicking the pregnant woman. Another claimed she was pushed by the aunt.
The quarreling parties filed physical assault complaints with the Thong Lor police station, after which the pregnant woman felt pain in her stomach and asked the police to take her to a nearby hospital where she was admitted overnight. The Mercedes owner, meanwhile, reportedly called her husband and told him to show up at the police station wearing his full rear admiral uniform.
The story went viral as soon as it was shared on Facebook. Most people condemned the Mercedes owner for assaulting the pregnant woman over what appeared to be minor damage to her expensive car.
Many also took issue with the claim she told her husband to show up at the police station in his navy uniform (which he did). Was it an attempt to intimidate the other party? What was the need to advertise that her husband is a military man, and a high-ranking one at that?
The controversy did not end there. Three days later, former beauty queen Panadda Wongpudee held a press conference saying the two sides had settled the dispute through mediation.
Present at the event were the pregnant woman, her husband, the Mercedes owner and Rear Admiral Somchai Na Bangchang, who represented the navy.
The Mercedes owner presented a basket of flowers to the pregnant woman although she did not offer an apology. Instead she said there are always two sides to every story. The physical assault case is still under way, as it is a criminal complaint that can't be settled.
The press briefing stoked further controversy. Some people questioned the role of Ms Panadda who claimed to be a mediator but gave the Mercedes owner more time to tell her side of the story. She also apparently defended the woman's husband, saying the rear admiral had done many good things for the country.
But how did the rear admiral's qualities have anything to do with the case? Why did the navy send a representative to attend the mediation, which only concerns the Mercedes owner and the pregnant woman?
Even now, the controversy is raging as those who sympathise with the pregnant woman threaten to rally at the bank where the Mercedes driver works.
The case shows how the perception of inequality and injustice can turn a tiff over car doors bumping into physical violence and public protest. Our society is fraught with such issues, making it like a powder keg waiting to explode.
Atiya Achakulwisut is Contributing Editor, Bangkok Post.