A Swiss man is denying allegations of physically assaulting a Thai female doctor outside his luxury villa in the Cape Yamu area of Phuket.
45 year old Urs ‘David’ Fehr insists that the incident, which involved 26 year old Thai doctor Tarndao Chandam, “was an accident”.
The video of the incident, shot by Mr. Fehr, was not clear and didn’t reveal an actual ‘kicking in the back’, which was claimed by the victim. However, the repeated use of foul language was captured on the video. The two people, who had been sitting on the steps, both walked away after the incident.
The doctor had accused Fehr of attacking her when she and a friend were sitting on steps outside his villa near Cape Yamu in Oak Lok, on Phuket’s east coast.
Tarndao shared her account on social media, claiming Fehr approached them aggressively and verbally abused them. She believed the steps were public property as they were situated on the beach. Fehr, however, refutes these claims, stating that he tripped on the stairs accidentally, causing his foot to unintentionally make contact with Tarndao’s back.
In an interview with local news outlet โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต, Fehr expressed regret if Tarndao was hurt. emphasising that he did not anticipate the situation escalating to this extent. He and his Thai wife reportedly asked Tarndao and her friend to leave their property due to safety concerns, citing a previous break-in.
Fehr’s lawyer asserts that a video recorded by Fehr supports their version of events, showing no physical harm inflicted on Tarndao.
You can watch the video HERE.
Meanwhile, the Thalang Administrative Office (TAO) has investigated the steps outside Fehr’s villa and found them to be constructed without permission on public beach land. They have ordered a real estate developer, Phuket Peninsula, to remove the steps within three days.
The female doctor has stated her intention to pursue the case and seek compensation, vowing to donate any received funds towards beach preservation.
In a separate development, Fehr, known as the founder of the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park in Phuket’s Thalang district, has been under scrutiny. Immigration police will investigate his actions, and his visa could be revoked if found guilty. Passakorn says that the severity of the assault, if proven, will determine the penalty.
