Police have brought four charges, including attempted murder and drug use, against a man who brutally attacked his girlfriend and broadcast it live on his Facebook page on Sunday evening.
Another two charges levelled against Chaichana Sirichart are illegal detention and broadcasting pictures that would cause distress to another person, said deputy police chief Wirachai Songmetta, adding that Mr Chaichana had tested positive for methamphetamine use.
The attack occurred in a room at an apartment building in Bung Kum district. The assault was broadcast live on Facebook for 11 minutes, and seen by several viewers, who later reported it to police.
Police earlier pressed a charge of causing injury against the 26-year-old man but changed it to attempted murder after seeing the footage and assessing the injuries to Kuldara Yeesaman, 21, said Pol Gen Wirachai, who visited the victim at Nopparatrajathanee Hospital yesterday.
Attempted murder is punishable by 15 years to life in prison, or the death penalty in some circumstances, according to Section 288 of the Criminal Code.
These were the instruments used in the extended attack on Ms Kuldara during the Facebook Live assault, allegedly carried out by Chaichana Sirichart (right). They included an iron, knives, a hair straightener, as well as an electric plug and wiring.
Pol Gen Wirachai said the suspect gave a confusing statement in which he accused his girlfriend of cheating on him.
Mr Chaichana is an administrator of the Global Fx Investment Facebook Page where he taught foreign currency trading. Asked about rumours that Ms Kuldara had secretly transferred 40 million baht worth of stocks out of his account, Pol Gen Wirachai said Mr Chaichana and his girlfriend would be questioned about this matter.
Mr Chaichana told reporters that he was sorry for hurting his girlfriend and claimed that he had an argument with her over six million baht gained from the course's fees, but did not elaborate further.
Ms Kuldara had a broken nose, cuts to her throat and burns on her body assumed to be from a hot iron. Police also found a knife and iron, both covered with blood, and a broomstick broken in two, in the couple's room.
Doctors estimated she may have been tortured for up to 10 hours.
Ms Kuldara told police inspectors that she had been beaten by Mr Chaichana six times during their eight-month relationship. She told police that Mr Chaichana appeared to suffer from delusions, such as believing he was "The Joker" from the Batman movies, during the times when he beat her.
In addition to the initial round of charges, Mr Chaichana may also face legal action from people who paid 15,000 baht to join his currency trading course but they never received any training, according to a police source.
Mr Chaichana was previously charged with property damage in 2005.
- Repeatedly tortured: The victim's ordeal