A stray golf ball struck 32-year-old caddie Joy in the right eye on October 13 in Pathum Thani Province, fracturing her facial bones and causing permanent blindness, Yahoo新聞 reported.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the Rangsit area as Joy served a group of female golfers. One player, returning from retrieving a forgotten personal item, teed off without issuing any verbal warning before the ball struck Joy directly in the right eye socket.
Other caddies at the facility administered immediate first aid using ice packs to stem bleeding before rushing her to a hospital. Medical examinations confirmed fractures to her right orbital bone and nasal bones alongside severe ocular trauma that rendered her right eye permanently blind despite surgical intervention.
The resulting blindness ended Joy’s career as a caddie, leaving her without employment income while accumulating ongoing medical expenses and daily living costs. Hospital visits require regular checkups costing over 1,000 Thai baht per appointment, which Joy currently funds independently.
Financial disputes emerged between Joy and the female golfer regarding treatment costs. The initial medical procedures totaled 65,000 Thai baht, prompting the golfer to request financial assistance from Joy’s boyfriend, who ultimately contributed 15,000 Thai baht.
Reports diverged on the settlement of the remaining 50,000 Thai baht, with one account indicating the golfer covered the balance and another stating Joy had to borrow funds. The golfer subsequently provided Joy’s boyfriend with 500 Thai baht to offset transport costs to the hospital, offering no further financial aid.
Joy noted that the golfer drove a new luxury vehicle yet asserted a lack of funds to cover compensation, claiming the initial medical payment had also been borrowed. On November 7, Joy and her boyfriend sought legal counsel from lawyer Ratchapol in Nonthaburi Province to understand their legal options ahead of formal negotiations.
Ratchapol agreed to represent Joy, pointing out potential criminal liability for severe injury caused by negligence, which carries penalties of imprisonment and fines. Civil remedies available to Joy include claims for past medical expenses, damages for permanent vision loss, lost earning capacity, and other accident-related losses.
The parties are scheduled to hold their initial mediation session on November 10 at the Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station to address the ongoing compensation dispute.
