Tough road to recovery for Karen girl

The scald wounds covering the body of the 12-year-old Karen girl who fell victim to slavery can be cured although she won't make a perfect recovery, a doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital says.

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Scars from boiling water cover much of the body of this 12-year-old Karen girl who was kept captive by a Thai couple for more than four years. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

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Karen torture girl can only hope for partial cure

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The scald wounds covering the body of the 12-year-old Karen girl who fell victim to slavery can be cured although she won't make a perfect recovery, a doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital says.

Arthi Krueawit, a senior surgeon at the hospital, conducted a medical checkup on the girl yesterday after she was freed from years of captivity.

A Thai couple has been charged with kidnapping the girl when she was seven years old from a farm in Kamphaeng Phet's Sai Ngarm district on May 20, 2008, and taking her to their house in Muang district. The girl recently escaped and neighbours took her to Kamphaeng Phet Child and Family Emergency Home, from where she was taken to police.

Police have placed a 100,000 baht bounty on the couple after they failed to show up for questioning on Monday morning. The girl told them she was physically abused, sometimes kept in a dog cage, and was also doused with boiling hot water, scalding her skin and leaving many scars on her body.

The Karen girl was taken to RamathibodiHospital by government spokesman Thossaporn Serirak. Dr Arthi said the scalds on her arms had affected her muscles to the point that the girl can no longer move her left arm. They can be treated and the girl is likely to regain mobility in her arm.

PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

The operation will take three to four hours. However, the wounds would take several weeks to heal, and she may have to wait up to a year before she can use her left arm again.

"Improvement is possible, but perfection is impossible," he said.

Dr Arthi said he would operate on the girl's arm first before treating scalding to other parts of her body. He said the girl's mental condition is just as concerning as her injuries, as she would need psychological care to restore her to normal health.

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Pol Col Akkarasorn Srisupat, superintendent of Kamphaeng Phet police station, said the Thai couple accused of committing the atrocities while holding her in captivity had fled police arrest to Cambodia.

He had sent police to keep an eye on suspect Nathee Tangon, 35, and his wife, Rattanakorn Piyaworatham, 33.

tough – difficult to do or to deal with ยาก  ยากลำบาก
recovery – the process of becoming normal and healthy again ฟื้นฟูสภาพ
scar – a permanent mark on your skin where you have been injured แผลเป็น, รอยแผลเป็น
boiling – heated to the point where a liquid forms bubbles and turns to steam or vapour เดือด
captive – kept in a place without being allowed to leave ไม่สามารถหนีได้
couple – two people who are married or are involved in a romantic relationship คู่แต่งงานกัน, คุ่รัก
torture – causing great physical or mental pain to someone intentionally ทรมานให้เจ็บปวด
partial – in part, but not complete บางส่วน
scald – to burn yourself or part of your body with very hot liquid or steam ลวก, ราดด้วยน้ำร้อนหรือน้ำเดือด
wound – an injury in which your skin or flesh is damaged บาดแผล
victim – someone who has been harmed, injured or killed as the result of a crime เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
slavery – the state of being a slave, i.e., to be owned by another person and is forced to work for them ความเป็นทาส, การเป็นทาส
cure – to make someone with an illness healthy again รักษา, รักษาให้หาย
senior – with a high rank or position อาวุโส
surgeon – a doctor who is trained to perform surgery (= medical operations that involve cutting open a person's body) ศัลยแพทย์
conduct – to do something in an organised way; to carry out ลงมือทำ, ดำเนิน, ปฏิบัติ
charge – to accuse someone officially of committing a crime ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
kidnap – to take someone away and make them a prisoner, especially in order to get money, freedom for someone else, etc. ลักพาตัว
escape – to get away from a place where you are in danger หนี
neighbour – someone who lives near you,  เพื่อนบ้าน
emergency – an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
bounty – money given as a reward, of for helping catch or kill a criminal เงินรางวัล
show up – to arrive at a place แสดงตัว, ปรากฏตัว
physically – in a way that is connected with a person's body rather than their mind ด้านร่างกาย,  เกี่ยวกับร่างกาย
abuse – to use or treat someone or something wrongly or badly, especially in a way that is to your own advantage ใช้ในทางที่ผิด
cage – a container made of wire or metal bars and used for keeping birds or animals in กรง
douse – to pour water/liquid on and make very wet สาดน้ำหรือของเหลว, จุ่มในของ
muscle – a piece of body tissue that you contract and relax in order to move a particular part of the body; the tissue that forms the muscles of the body  กล้ามเนื้อ
treat – to provide medical care รักษา
regain – to get back บังคับรถได้เหมือนเดิม
mobility – the ability to move or travel around easily การเคลื่อนที่ได้ง่าย, การเคลื่อนไหว
operation – the process of cutting open a part of a person's body in order to remove or repair a damaged part การผ่าตัด
heal – to make somebody/something healthy again; the cause to get better after an emotional shock รักษาให้หาย
improvement – when something gets better or when you make it better การทำให้ดีขึ้น
mental – connected with or happening in the mind; involving the process of thinking เกี่ยวกับจิตใจ
condition – the physical state of a person or animal, especially how healthy they are อาการ, สุขภาพ
concern – a worry ความกังวล
injury – physical damage done to a person or a part of their body อาการบาดเจ็บ
psychological – connected with a person's mind and the way in which it works ทางด้านจิตใจ, ทางจิตวิทยา
restore – to bring back to good condition ฟื้นฟูสภาพ
normal – typical, usual or ordinary; what you would expect ภาวะปกติ
superintendent – a senior police officer เจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจระดับสูง
atrocity – a cruel and violent act  การกระทำที่ชั่วร้าย
flee (past form: fled) – to leave a place or person quickly because you are afraid of possible danger หนี อพยพ
suspect – a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย