Beauty salon owner fights for rights after leg broken by playful dog

PHUKET: A beauty salon owner whose leg was broken when she was knocked over by a neighbour’s dog is fighting to have the dog’s owner pay compensation as she is now left with no money to live on.

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By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 8 January 2020, 10:29AM

Kumaree Kao-ian suffered a broken leg after a dog playing ran into her and knocked her down. Image: Supplied

Kumaree Kao-ian suffered a broken leg after a dog playing ran into her and knocked her down. Image: Supplied

Kumaree Kao-ian and her husband Mr Wiwat filed a complain with the provincial Ombudsman yesterday as she has been left unable to work, and now has no money to live on. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Kumaree Kao-ian suffered a broken leg after a dog playing ran into her and knocked her down. Image: Supplied

Police say they don’t even know what to charge the dog owner with, Kumaree Kao-ian, the 39-year-old beauty salon owner, told the press while filing a complaint at the Provincial Ombudsman’s Office yesterday (Jan 7).

Ms Kumaree explained that her leg was broken on Jan 3, at about 9:30am, while she was walking with her two children through the car park in front of the building where she lives at the National Housing Authority estate in Moo 1, Srisoonthorn, Thalang.

One of two dogs playing in the car park suddenly ran towards her and hit her leg from behind, causing her to fall down, she explained.

Ms Kumaree thought she would be fine and went to stand up, but found that she could not. She had one of her children fetch her husband, Mr Wiwat, from their apartment. He arrived promptly and quickly called Thalang Hospital to send an ambulance.

Ms Kumaree explained that she had to stay at Thalang Hospital until last Sunday (Jan 5), when she was finally discharged. Thalang Hospital has now referred her case to Vachira Phuket Hospital, and she will see a doctor on Jan 14 to determine whether she will have to undergo surgery.

Her injury has left her unable to work, and talks with the dog’s owner about compensation have resulted in nothing, she said.

“My husband has had to take time off work to take care of me. Now I have only B80, and I have two children who still have to go to school,” Ms Kumaree said.

“Police said that they cannot prosecute the dogs owner, as they do not know what charge they should face,” Ms Kumaree added.

“I do not understand why police said they cannot charge the dog’s owner, or maybe they think I am a just a poor woman who is not worth their effort,” she said.

“The dog owner has also threatened to sue me, so I have filed this complaint to the Phuket office of the Damrongdhama Center [Provincial Ombudsman’s Office].

“An officer here has now told me that the dog’s owner can be punished with both criminal and civil suits,” Ms Kumaree said.

“I want to ask the dog’s owner to pay compensation, as the rules for being a tenant at the National Housing Authority estate do not allow residents to have any pets,” she said.