Pattaya bar fight: Key witness says Australian man beaten to death over “misunderstanding”

 

 

A key witness to a brutal bar fight in Pattaya has told police that the Australian victim died because of a misunderstanding.

 

Benjamin Robb suffered horrific injuries to his head and face, which proved fatal, after being brutally beaten by American Jose Manuel Polanco Jr, 43, during the attack which took place last Friday, Feb 9th at the Ruby Club on Pattaya Soi 6.

 

It had been reported earlier that Mr Robb had been the aggressor in the lead up to the incident.

 

It had been claimed that Mr Robb, who died in Pattaya Memorial Hospital hours after the attack, picked up a waitress by her neck until her feet were off the ground and her face had turned blue.

 

Jose Polanco is then said to have intervened by throwing Mr Robb across the bar, before beating and stamping on his head at least 10 times.

 

On Tuesday, police questioned all the staff who were working at the Ruby Club when the incident took place.

 

A person familiar with the investigation who spoke to Thaivisa on the condition of anonymity has revealed that a witness has told police that Mr Robb was only “joking around” when he grabbed the waitress, Rung-Arun Sangsuwan, by her neck.

 

Ms Sangsuwan said that while it may have looked violent, her and Mr Robb were in fact “just joking” and that at no time did she feel threatened by the Australian.

 

Ms Sangsuwan said that others in the bar “misunderstood” the situation and thought that Mr Robb was being aggressive towards her.

 

It was this misunderstanding that caused Polanco to intervene and attack Mr Robb.

 

Thaivisa also understands that police, who were at the Ruby Club within minutes of the attack taking place, have an overwhelming amount of evidence in the form of CCTV footage which forms a key part of their investigation.

 

Polanco, who handed himself in after the attack, told police he acted in self defence. He remains in jail.

 

On Tuesday it was revealed the American had murdered before.

 

Meanwhile, images have emerged which show the moments after Mr Robb was attacked.

 

 

 

 

The grainy images supplied to Thaivisa on Wednesday show the victim being tended to by medics as concerned bar staff and customers look on.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-02-14

It just goes to show you should never poke your nose in to something, unless you are 100% sure of what is actually happening. It was bad enough already, without it turning out to be a misunderstanding that kicked it all off.

He 'misunderstands' and dishes out very severe, and fatal, punishment to the victim.

Let's hope the judge 'misunderstands' when passing sentence, and also dishes out very severe punishment.

I'm never sure about internet news, or any news anymore.  News outlets sometimes just trying to sell news, any news, to make a buck.  However, IF and I say IF this man has been charged with murder before (so young 42 to be out of jail), how they hell did he ever get a passport and how the hell did the Thai customs authorities ever let this piece of work into their country.  They are only asking for trouble, which they got, or more, some poor bastard on holiday's messing around with a Thai bar lady.  The mind boggles.  I hope the truth comes out, and those posting picks on social media are just as complicit in this crazy act as the boofhead who clearly has an anger management issue.  JMHO

it seems to me that both were unhinged just one a bit more than the other

53 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

It just goes to show you should never poke your nose in to something, unless you are 100% sure of what is actually happening. It was bad enough already, without it turning out to be a misunderstanding that kicked it all off.

We do not know what was said between the two of them and will probably never know, add alcohol and stupidity and then this is the result. If both men were drunk, which is what is alleged, then there are mitigating circumstances already.

Just as a side note, how many people/members watch MMA here? What do they do in MMA, they punch, they knee, they elbow their opponent when their opponent is on the ground. This fellow obviously wanted to hand out a hiding and it went too far.

2 hours ago, Sid Bream said:

We do not know what was said between the two of them and will probably never know, add alcohol and stupidity and then this is the result. If both men were drunk, which is what is alleged, then there are mitigating circumstances already.

Just as a side note, how many people/members watch MMA here? What do they do in MMA, they punch, they knee, they elbow their opponent when their opponent is on the ground. This fellow obviously wanted to hand out a hiding and it went too far.

MMA fighters are consenting adults with a referee in the ring. They can tap out or submit at anytime they want. 

Which person with a brain would intervene unasked in a supposed "attack" to a working girl in a bar?

Isn't it crystal clear that bar staff/bouncers would be there in an instant to take care?

 

I hope this killer will never walk free again.

Be it in prison, closed psychiatric clinic or wherever.

A danger to the public.

14 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

MMA fighters are consenting adults with a referee in the ring. They can tap out or submit at anytime they want. 

But Sid Bream had a point I think. When I first read the story I did wonder if the killer had an MMA / cage fighting background or had at least trained. When cage fighters get into street fights they are known to keep going until their opponent is completely unconscious, and maybe even carry on some more.

 

A mate of mine told me he felt sick after seeing a fight in a club back home in Essex when the victor just kept driving his fists into the face of the loser even though he was clearly out cold. It turned out that was a cage fighter.

 

 

Did anyone get to the bottom of the Weds Starbuck incident when the american had another misunderstanding?

51 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

MMA fighters are consenting adults with a referee in the ring. They can tap out or submit at anytime they want. 

Be careful with logic and common sense on this forum 

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

He 'misunderstands' and dishes out very severe, and fatal, punishment to the victim.

Let's hope the judge 'misunderstands' when passing sentence, and also dishes out very severe punishment.

 

 

Has the arrested suspect spoken out yet about the events in the bar on the day of Mr. Robb's death?

 

 

 

Happened on a Friday and took the police until Tuesday to get witness statements from the staff. That is disgraceful. 

 

Police everywhere will tell you, "every witness has a different version of events that happened."

37 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Did anyone get to the bottom of the Weds Starbuck incident when the american had another misunderstanding?

Was it confirmed as being the same guy? 

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Which person with a brain would intervene unasked in a supposed "attack" to a working girl in a bar?

Isn't it crystal clear that bar staff/bouncers would be there in an instant to take care?

 

I hope this killer will never walk free again.

Be it in prison, closed psychiatric clinic or wherever.

A danger to the public.

So your girlfriend was being choked or a girl is being choked and you don't ask what's going on? OK......

What "bouncers"?

The victim had been in the country for less than 12 hours.

3 hours ago, rkidlad said:

MMA fighters are consenting adults with a referee in the ring. They can tap out or submit at anytime they want. 

The point I was making was not about a "referee" and you missed my point. People these days are influenced by what they see on TV and they see it as acceptable to carry out what they see on TV into the street. These two were both allegedly drunk, we do not know what was said between the two of them prior to the the incident commencing and we may never know, (that part can & could have had a significant influence in this incident) and it is completely within the realms of possibility if there was a verbal altercation it may have exacerbated the whole situation. It's obvious that he wanted to hand the other guy a severe hiding, and when people are drunk it usually goes over the top. 

24 minutes ago, Sid Bream said:

// and when people are drunk it usually goes over the top. 

 

Several members made the same kind of comment on the several topics about this murder. So why not take actions to stop this problem. What about a ban on alcohol in the whole Pattaya? . That would solve a lot of problems. 

4 hours ago, watcharacters said:

Has the arrested suspect spoken out yet about the events in the bar on the day of Mr. Robb's death?

Hardly likely as he's in jail.

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

The victim had been in the country for less than 12 hours.

The report on Monday said this: "A regular in the Ruby Club who didn't want to be named told Thaivisa that Robb often acted in an aggressive manner and was known by some to be a trouble maker".

 

How does that correlate with your claim of his only being here for a few hours?

5 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

 It turned out that was a cage fighter.

Everyone's a 'cage fighter' these days.

19 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

The report on Monday said this: "A regular in the Ruby Club who didn't want to be named told Thaivisa that Robb often acted in an aggressive manner and was known by some to be a trouble maker".

 

How does that correlate with your claim of his only being here for a few hours?

Well this may not have been his first time in Thailand.

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

The report on Monday said this: "A regular in the Ruby Club who didn't want to be named told Thaivisa that Robb often acted in an aggressive manner and was known by some to be a trouble maker".

 

How does that correlate with your claim of his only being here for a few hours?

 As reported in the Australian media.

 

The 42-year-old had only been in the party town for 12 hours when he became embroiled the melee.

 

 This is a good Aussie guy who has been killed,” the friend said.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/02/14/14/44/new-picture-emerges-of-aftermath-of-thailand-brawl?ocid=social-9News 

54 minutes ago, Thechook said:

 As reported in the Australian media.

 

The 42-year-old had only been in the party town for 12 hours when he became embroiled the melee.

Not true , he lived in Pattaya .  Been a regular in the bars for a long time. But maybe he went back to Australia for a visit and had just returned from there. 

 

But the Ozzy was only joking around "he picked up the waitress by her throat untill her legs were off the ground and her face turned blue," obviously had a great sense of humour.

^And your second post isn't much better.

Very funny fhs,  a guy was  beaten to death and some idiot contributes  comments like that.Not really the best or smartest thing to say  at this given time i would have thought.But then again you are obviously a smarter man then me so maybe i was wrong to comment also.

A troll post and answers to it have been removed.

This whole story has gone beyond being a joke.....just close down all the bars and  let all the <deleted> head back to Suvarnabhumi Airport and leave the safe and sane folks to enjoy some quiet with the Chinese...<deleted>.....?????

11 hours ago, The manic said:

Be careful with logic and common sense on this forum 

Be careful with logic and common sense in Thailand more to the point

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

It just goes to show you should never poke your nose in to something, unless you are 100% sure of what is actually happening. It was bad enough already, without it turning out to be a misunderstanding that kicked it all off.

It suggests the guy was looking for an 'excuse' to start a fight.