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Published on July 13, 2007

Mareeya Sarimat and her children went to the public-service Phitakssantirat Radio Station (FM 91 MHz) to seek the protection of specialist agencies and the police against her abusive husband Yaseen Sopitak, 40, who reportedly was on a trip to Yala at the time the family sought help.

Social workers later helped Mareeya to file a complaint at Klong Ton Police Station and then visited her home to provide further assistance.

A health volunteer, Pochana Satamdee, 60, who accompanied Mareeya, said that on Wednesday she was informed that four children, aged 13, 12, nine and eight, had been hit violently by Yaseen as he dragged them to Naknawa Upatham School. The children were later sent to Phaetpanya Hospital.

Mareeya said she and her husband had five daughters and four sons. On Wednesday her eldest daughter Sakinah and three siblings hid near a neighbourhood mosque because Sakinah dared not go back to school after missing classes for a week through illness. Yaseen discovered the children and beat them as he took them to school.

Mareeya said Yaseen had abandoned her and the children over the past four or five years, during which time they had to live on the charity of neighbours who shared food with them.