Two New Zealander brothers have been arrested following an incident on Saturday in Chalong, Phuket. There was an altercation with a traffic police officer which escalated to an assault, as the brothers allegedly seized the policeman’s gun and mobile phone.
The incident unfolded just before 4pm on Saturday when the officer attempted to pull them over for speeding on a motorcycle just out the front of the Chalong police station. But the duo refused to comply, leading to a short chase, then a confrontation during which they allegedly attempted to steal the officer’s handgun, resulting in a misfired shot. Fortunately, no one was injured, though the officer, Pol Sub Lt Ekarat Plaiduang, sustained injuries to his arm and leg.
In some media reports it stated that the police officer was trying to draw his gun when one of the two men then took it from him.
The suspects, identified as brothers, 36 year old Oscar Mattson Day and 34 year old Hamish Day, faced multiple charges, including assaulting a police officer, conspiring to commit robbery, obstructing officials in the line of duty, and driving without a license.
The incident took place in front of a noodle restaurant on Chao Fah East Road in Phuket’s Muang district, just north along the road from the Chalong police station. Despite attempts by the officer to apprehend them, the New Zealanders continued to evade capture until additional police reinforcements arrived on the scene.
Witnesses recounted the chaos, with one bystander, Miss Jutharat, working at a nearby bakery, recalling hearing gunshots (in her words, suggesting there was more than one shot fired) and witnessing a confrontation between the foreigners and the police officer.
In video captured of the incident, a woman shouted at the men.
“You stop, you stop. He have gun. You stop.”
Then a voice with a kiwi accent responded.
“The policeman was trying to attack us.”
She called for the need for “mutual respect between foreigners and Thais” to prevent such violent incidents, asserting that peaceful coexistence is possible if both parties adhere to the rules.
The video then shows Hamish Day watching as his brother Oscar Day grappled on the ground with the police officer. He shouted…
”He’s trying to kill him”
Another witness, Somnuek Chankong, expressed fear during the altercation and urged the police to maintain their vigilance in enforcing the law, thereby ensuring the safety and confidence of tourists visiting Thailand.
Later in the video, the Day brothers are standing at the roadside next to two motorcycles facing off with the Thai policeman as other Chalong police arrive.
