BURI RAM: A 31-year-old woman whose lesbian lover had locked her inside their restaurant building and left for Udon Thani for a few days was freed by police on Monday night.
A police patrol was sent to the building housing the restaurant in Muang district after being informed around 5pm on Monday that a woman was being illegally detained there.
They reported finding a woman standing behind the bars of the locked two-storey row house, which was secured with a chain and a padlock. The front entry gate was double locked.
The woman inside, identified only as Yui, told police she had a quarrel with her lover, who was a woman, around 4pm on Monday. Her lover told her she was going to Udon Thani province for four days. Before leaving she locked her inside, saying there was fresh food she could cook while she was away.
Ms Yui said she did not want to stay locked inside and asked a neighbour for help, who called police.
Around 6.30pm, police readied to use bolt cutters to remove the padlock at the back of the restaurant, but the woman suddenly moved up to the balcony on the second floor and told police not to cut the lock. She said she would climb down from the first-floor roof.
Police moved a police vehicle into a position where the woman could clamber down, and then some officers climbed up the wall to help her. She was brought down safely.
The woman told police her lesbian lover had locked her inside the shop 4 or 5 times previously.
She had a key to unlock the gate, but she could not find it. She admitted she drank liquor and beer and did not want to take action against her lover, police said.
She was taken to Muang police station and relatives were contacted to take her home.
Police climb up the wall of the two-storey uuilding to help the woman down. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)