Police in Pattaya are investigating after a Canadian man was allegedly assaulted by a Thai security guard.
The victim, named only as 65 year old Mark, is currently in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in the Bang Lamung district. However, there are contradictory versions of events, with the authorities trying to uncover the true circumstances of the dispute.
Mark’s Thai wife, identified only as 56 year old Nongyao, says her husband went for a drink with friends at a bar on Soi Pattaya 6, on the evening of July 31. When he hadn’t arrived home at his usual time, she became concerned. She says she then received a phone call from someone telling her Mark had been assaulted by a security guard and was unconscious in hospital.
According to eyewitness reports, the Canadian man had been leaning against a car, when a security guard approached and confronted him. A verbal dispute between the two men became physical when the guard allegedly punched the Canadian, knocking him down and causing him to hit his head off the ground.
A foreign witness recorded some of the assault on his phone and it’s understood the security guard tried to grab the phone off the witness.
Yesterday, August 4, Chainarong Jitsunthorn from Pattaya Tourist Police questioned the alleged perpetrator, named as 28 year old “Patiphan”, who is employed as a security guard in Soi Pattaya 6.
The guard told police that on the evening in question, he had received a report that a foreigner was trying to break into a car. Patiphan says he went to investigate, but the foreigner wouldn’t listen to him and pushed him against the car. The guard says he pushed back and when the foreign man came at him again, he pushed a second time, causing the Canadian to fall to the ground.
According to the guard, those who claim to have seen the alleged assault weren’t there from the beginning and didn’t see how it started. He says he tried to explain to them what had happened but they ran away.
Patiphan says he contacted the authorities after seeing the news report as he wants to clear his name. He has also provided CCTV footage, which he says proves he didn’t punch the Canadian, as some have claimed, only pushed him.
Police are now reviewing all evidence before deciding how to proceed.
SOURCE: Khaosod English
