After surviving a brutal acid attack in April that has required five surgeries, 41-year-old Hak Ay was discharged from Phnom Penh’s Children’s Surgical Center (CSC) yesterday.

“It took nearly two months to help him reach a condition where he could leave here. But now both of his eyes are working successfully, and he can go home,” said Dr Keo Vanna, director of reconstructive surgery at CSC.

Vanna said multiple skin grafts were used to treat burns to 40 per cent of Ay’s body.

“We were a little worried these past two weeks, because he was having difficulty opening and closing his eyes, but we have fixed this for now,” he said.

On April 22, Ay was attacked in Banteay Meanchey’s Sisophon town, allegedly by his wife, 26-year-old Tor Rachany, after he threatened to divorce her during an argument, police have said.

The incident marked the first recorded attack this year, said Erin Bourgois, program manager at the Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity (CASC).

After peaking at 27 in 2010, only three attacks were recorded last year.

Rachany remains in pretrial detention at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Prison, judge Loy Chantra said yesterday.

“We have not finished the investigation process of this case, but the trial will be soon. I think maybe in a month or half a month,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MOM KUNTHEAR