Pol Lt Col Patthi Yotkwan, Deputy Superintendent of the Thalang Police, was informed of the incident about 9pm on Saturday (Feb 24).
Officers soon arrived at the house along with an ambulance to find the police officer, 32 years old*, bleeding on the patio in front of the home.
The officer had suffered two wounds to the right collarbone and two more wounds from a sharp object on the cheek. He was rushed to Thalang Hospital, then later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital.
His wife, 31, was still at the home, wearing a blood-stained pink T-shirt and blue jeans. She had bruises to her right arm and right shoulder. The left arm had scratches and her neck and both knees had bruises.
Officers found a long kitchen knife, used in the incident, on the floor in front of the house.
Police returned to the house to continue their investigation yesterday (Feb 25).
Officers learned that the couple had been together for about three years, and had one child together, aged a little over one year.
Friction had long been high at the household, police were told. The police officer had never been happy with his wife’s mother, who is in her 70s, living with them, although she had moved in to help look after their child.
Earlier on Saturday the wife’s mother had moved her husband’s laptop bag from the hallway, which had evoked an angry reaction from her husband and for which he scolded her.
Then the wife’s father came home and learned about what had happened. He told them both to respect each other.
This only made her husband even angrier, turning his verbal abuse to her father. He pushed her father in the chest and appeared to reach for his gun when the wife went to intervene. Her father then left the house to go home.
Her husband then went to take their daughter from the house, and the couple fought over the child. While she was trying to stop him, her husband struck her several times and at one time placed his hand on her neck and squeezed.
The wife managed to grab a kitchen knife and inflict several wounds on him.
Police have yet to confirm charges against either the husband or the wife as they are continuing their investigation.
If you or anyone you know is in need of emotional support and counseling, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand at their 24-hour hotline at 02-113-6789 (English & Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai).
*The names of those involved in the domestic dispute have been withheld in the hope of avoiding identifying the child.