A policewoman in central Thailand has been denied a bail after being charged with physically abusing a female employee who worked at her coffee shop.
Pol Cpl Kornsasi Buayaem, 43, of Special Branch Bureau 1 of the Royal Thai Police, was denied bail on Monday by a Ratchaburi court judge.
On Saturday, Pol Cpl Kornsasi turned herself into Ratchaburi police for dereliction of duty, intimidation, deprivation of liberty, physical abuse, and human trafficking.
A medical certificate was presented to the court by the accused policewoman lawyer, who stated that she was unable to control her behavior during the alleged abuses. In tears, Pol Cpl Kornsasi told the judge she has been under mental health treatment for about two years.
She was charged after her former employee told Thai Media she had been held against her will, physically abused and mistreated by the policewoman before finally managing to escape.
Her story made headlines nationwide and prompted Thailand’s National Police Chief to order an urgent investigation.
The police took Pol Cpl Kornsasi to the Ratchaburi Court on Monday morning. There they were given an extension of detention for a further 12 days so they could investigate the abuse claims of the victim.
Pol Col Tanin Chatcharoenporn, deputy superintendent of Phetchaburi police, opposed a bail bond.
Additionally, the former coffee shop employee who made the abuse claims appeared in court. She was accompanied by family members and her lawyer Krisda Lohitdee.
The court judge approved the defendant’s further 12-day detention and denied her bail request as the prosecutor believed she may try to intimidate the coffee shop employee.
Royal Thai Police said the Special Branch Bureau would set up a panel to investigate the allegations.
The 30-year-old victim also told police that Pol Cpl Kornsasi claimed she was the wife of a senator