Thailand's criminal court has sentenced Bangkok businesswoman Wipaporn Songmeesap to seven years in jail for physically abusing and enslaving a 13-year-old maid. The verdict marked the first time in Thai legal history that the country's anti-slavery law has been enforced. The 13-year-old was made to work from 4 a.m. to midnight daily and was beaten with an iron rod, belts and a piece of furniture when she failed to perform her duties. After a year of unpaid labor, she was sent back to her home in Buri Ram with infected wounds on her head and back. Thai human rights groups pressed the case against Wipaporn, a mother of four, who listened to the verdict Tuesday with no show of emotion.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur