The attack occurred at 9:30pm last Thursday (Mar 23), reported Chanya Jaroensin, owner of the beauty clinic at the Mae Sompong Market in Baan Lipon.
Ms Chanya told The Phuket News yesterday (Mar 26) that she was in front of her shop when her former staffer Warangkana ‘Nan’ Thintalay arrived and said she wanted to talk about the “problem’ â that is Ms Warangkana being sacked for failing to do her job and having B2,400 deducted from her final pay.
Ms Chanya invited Ms Warangkana into the shop so they could talk privately. Soon after they had entered the shop, a man who Ms Chanya knows as Ms Warangkana’s partner, who she called “Mr Daris”, entered the shop and began threatening her. “You didn’t pay my wife’s wages,” he said.
Ms Chanya said she tried to explain the situation, but Daris would not listen, “He was furious,” she said.
“He didn’t want to hear what the matter was. He pulled up his shirt and pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot,” she added.
Ms Chanya tried to leave, but Daris prevented her. Ms Chanya explained that she had a young relative with her inside the store, and she was frightened for the youngster’s safety.
The young relative (“lan sao”, ญ฼าŕ¸ŕ¸Şŕ¸˛ŕ¸§) tried to leave, but two men in front of shop that she had not noticed before stopped her, Ms Chanya explained.
In his anger, Daris raised the gun as if to hit Ms Chanya with it, then changed his mind and kicked her in the stomach instead, Ms Chanya recalled.
In the commotion, the young relative ran outside and shouted for help. “At first the market was too noisy and no one heard, but then people in the market started to notice her calls for help,” Ms Chanya said.
With the incident gaining the attention of people in the market, Daris and his accomplices left. Daris was recorded on CCTV leaving the market. The CCTV footage shows Ms Chanya running behind him to see which direction he was heading.
Ms Chanya filed a formal report with Thalang Police at 10:21pm that night. The report is marked as received by Lt Thitiwat Asasingh of the Thalang Police Investigation division, and marks that Daris is wanted for physical assault and attempted murder.
DISPUTE
Ms Chanya explained that Ms Warangkana had worked at the clinic for several months. She was the longest-serving member of staff.
Ms Chanya said she had to travel to other provinces. While she was away, she left Ms Warangkana in charge of the shop. She gave Ms Warangkana clear instructions on what to do, Ms Chanya said.
“She promised she would do it, but she didn’t. The shop ran out of stock because she did not place any orders. There was nothing in the shop to sell, no cleaning was done and some products that were left had been damaged,” Ms Chanya said.
“The damage done cost about B20,000 to B30,000. So we fired all the staff at the shop and docked their final pay to cover the damages, but we did not deduct a large amount.
“Some insisted on staying and asked for a second chance, so we cut just B200 from their pay to help cover the damages. But ‘Nan’ [Ms Warangkana] was the one in charge, so we deducted B2,400, which she refused,” Ms Chanya said.
That was on Mar 13. Ms Warangkana (‘Nan’) did not return to the shop until last Thursday (Mar 23), Ms Chanya said.
“Other staff who did not ask to keep their jobs had come to talk to us since the first day. They have already been paid out in full compliance with the law,” she said.
“But Nan did not want that. She brought her partner to bring a gun and attack me,” she said.
Even though threatened during the assault in her own shop last Thursday, Ms Chanya still hasn’t handed over the B2,400.
“If he had asked nicely, we would have given it. The bonuses we give to staff are even more than that,” she said.
“But she didn’t choose that way, and instead chose to bring her boyfriend [sic] to carry a gun in order to intimidate us.” she added.
Ms Chanya still fears the issue has not been resolved, and fears that she may be attacked at any time.
“I can’t work fully. I’m afraid to go anywhere. I have to wait for someone to take me to work and just to go here and there,” Ms Chanya said.
Ms Chanya is urging police to expedite their efforts in apprehending Daris and his accomplices.
“The police said they would issue a summons, and if the summons is issued two times and [he/they] still hasn’t come to meet the police, the police will request an arrest warrant,” she said.
So far police have issued only the first summons for Daris and his accomplices to present themselves.
“I want the police to know that we live in fear. Life is not as easy as before. We have a khao gaeng shop, for which I have to go shopping at 4am-5am, and the clinic closes at 11pm, when the market is dark and quiet, with no one around,” Ms Chanya said.
“I am very afraid. I do not know when he will attack because he already knows that he has been reported [to police] but not arrested yet â even though he is at large with a gun,” she said.
“If he comes back to hurt us, there is nothing we can do. We do not carry weapons. We have to hope and rely on the police to act faster. Please think about the lives of the people,” Ms Chanya said.
Meanwhile, Ms Warangkana has a new job at a well known cultural tourist attraction in Kamala, Ms Chanya said.
She has already informed management of the incident. The employer recognised that the report had been received and was informing the relevant department, Ms Chanya confirmed.
skorchio | 28 March 2023 - 14:47:49