Turkish man assaults Pattaya restaurant worker, leaving him in a coma

[BangkokReady]

5 minutes ago, NextG said:

I’m suggesting that you sound like a misery and that I don’t really want to engage with you. It’s obvious that you aren’t really getting that, but I’m trying to be polite about it. 

Well, you engaged with me and continue to do so.  You can stop replying any time.

 

5 minutes ago, NextG said:

You can use the same analogy for Songkran. Not everyone can detect the subtle signals that someone doesn’t want to play and you can get splashed. Such is life. Adapt or die. 

This would be a wonderful analogy, if it reflected the truth of Songkran.

 

You can go on pretending that Songkran is only as you describe it, even when others say their experience is different.  I doubt anyone could tell you otherwise.

 

It's clear that the truth of what actually happens means little to you.

 

I guess when the truth conflicts with what you need to believe in order to "live in harmony", you cannot accept it and anyone who disagrees must be labelled a "misery". ????‍♂️

[BangkokReady]

7 minutes ago, giddyup said:

There will always be whingers who live to complain.

Just as there will always be people who feel the need to insult people who have different experiences or opinions to them. ????‍♂️

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Just as there will always be people who feel the need to insult people who have different experiences or opinions to them. ????‍♂️

I never insulted you, unless you consider yourself a whinger.

[bendejo]

Best thing that he can hope for at this point is they put him in the immigration jail.  If they put him in with Thais they'll kill him.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Don't go where?  Outside?

 

I disagree.  People should be able to choose whether they get plashed with water or not.

 

I realise that this is the perspective you view things from, but you have to be aware that the people you communicate with may see things in a slightly more nuance way.

Expand  

What don't you understand about choice? People have the choice to either attend or not. That may involve staying indoors, or not being in Thailand at all.

I think both points being made here are reasonable....   But we also have to be realistic. 

 

We should be able to expect not to get ‘splashed’ when we go out to some areas, but also, there are some area’s we may go to where the expectation is that it’s impossible to avoid  'getting splashed’.

 

Fresh tourists or a newbie may not know this, but they could learn this very quickly by the general state of those around them as they approach an area. 

 

Avoiding ‘water play’ doesn't mean we have to hide inside, it just means we have to avoid the ’touristy’ areas and if necessary bring precautions (spare clothes - because there may always be that one idiot who misinterpreted the localised rules’)

 

Thus: We carried spare clothes with us anywhere we went during Songkran - these were not needed, but there as a precaution. Based on the area’s we went to (In Bangkok) I expected not to get soaked, but also understood it was a possibility if someone was going to behave like an idiot. 

 

These issues are very much about ‘where you are going, for what reasons etc’...  

 

For example, when I nipped out for something, I didn’t take the motorcycle (for nearby chores) as I didn’t want water thrown at me while riding a motorcycle down my Soi - Not a big issue as traffic is very light in Bangkok during Songkran and we can easily go anywhere with the car. 

 

Also, when turning up to go to a restaurant, I didn’t expect to have water thrown at me while walking from the car to the Restaurant etc, but I also chose places that we obviously not going to be ‘in the mix’.

 

 

Anyone who doesn't want to get ‘wet’ can avoid the main touristy areas where water is thrown... 

In ’nearly’ all other places, most people understand when you don't want to get wet (i.e. people travelling to work etc).

 

 

Thus: IF someone is in a busy ’tourist’ area and doesn't want to get wet, their expectations are flawed. 

IF someone is in a non-busy area and doesn’t want to get wet they may consider taking backup clothing, just incase, but its also reasonable of them to expect not to get wet. 

 

BUT... to get angry to the point of violence at this time highlights a particularly unhinged character, someone who was looking for a problem anyway and if it wasn’t water, he’d be fighting over something else. 

 

 

 

 

[Skallywag]

I had a younger 30's middle eastern or Indian man grab me quite forcefully on my upper right arm so his friend could douse me as I was walking home with some groceries.  I was already soaking wet and only a few blocks from my condo at the time.

 

This is late afternoon and though a bit shocked, just assumed the guys were a bit drunk and felt obligated to soak an already soaked 65 year old man trying to sneak behind them on the sidewalk.

No worries, took another dowsing to their delight and the guy released his grip and I walked on. 

 

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, jak2002003 said:

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Not everyone wants to be pelted with water while they go about their business.

Sorry and what Business was he going about in a bar area with a water festival happening?

Yeh pelted with water, that really does deserve to be smashed in the head, and put in a coma Jeez. 

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

You seem willing to accept that foreigners might be wrong or have negative traits, but not so when it comes to Thais.

 

Can Thais do no wrong in your eyes?  Is that reasonable?  Is suggesting otherwise somehow being miserable?

Indeed... at this time of year there are lots of people of all nationality’s who seem to show one common human trait amongst themselves - the inability to show restraint !!!!

 

 

Even during Songkran there are laws in place and its considered a criminal offence to ‘soak someone’ and damage their property (we phone) if they have clearly identified they don't want to be part of the proceedings. 

 

Each year there are a number of Lawsuits - rarely mentioned in the English language media, but there in the Thai press. In the cases I’m aware of it is people travelling to work, who have filed charges. 

 

Just one example: a model going to work, was soaked. Had to go home and change again, she was late for her appointment and lost 5000 Baht... She is suing the people in her street for loss of earnings. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Sorry and what Business was he going about in a bar area with a water festival happening?

Yeh pelted with water, that really does deserve to be smashed in the head, and put in a coma Jeez. 

I think its clear that this ‘sort of character’ is going to finding himself in confrontational situations wherever his going, whatever he is doing - If it wasn’t getting triggered by getting splashed with water, it would be something else. 

 

IF he truly didn’t want to get splashed with water and had genuine expectations not to get splashed he wouldn’t be in an area where water splashing was happening to the extent it was. 

 

He of course has the right to request not to be splashed wherever he was, the violet response is wholly excessive given the time of year, location etc. 

[BangkokReady]

9 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Sorry and what Business was he going about in a bar area with a water festival happening?

Yeh pelted with water, that really does deserve to be smashed in the head, and put in a coma Jeez. 

Are you suggesting that I am in any way claiming that what the Turk did was OK?

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, BangkokReady said:

Are you suggesting that I am in any way claiming that what the Turk did was OK?

Yep.

[BangkokReady]

 

 

4 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

6 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Are you suggesting that I am in any way claiming that what the Turk did was OK?

Yep.

Why?

[JustAnotherHun]

6 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Stupid tradition, but  that's no excuse...

This tradition is not more "stupid" than Ramadan or Xmass. The water fights have nothing to do with Songkran.

I hope, they lock this a.hole in for a while, then deport him to where he belongs and put him on a red list.

[d4dang]

head butting a local in the midst of Songkran because he  threw water on him....despite the perps lame excuse the victim will probably never be compensated....tragic

[d4dang]

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Indeed... at this time of year there are lots of people of all nationality’s who seem to show one common human trait amongst themselves - the inability to show restraint !!!!

 

 

Even during Songkran there are laws in place and its considered a criminal offence to ‘soak someone’ and damage their property (we phone) if they have clearly identified they don't want to be part of the proceedings. 

 

Each year there are a number of Lawsuits - rarely mentioned in the English language media, but there in the Thai press. In the cases I’m aware of it is people travelling to work, who have filed charges. 

 

Just one example: a model going to work, was soaked. Had to go home and change again, she was late for her appointment and lost 5000 Baht... She is suing the people in her street for loss of earnings. 

 

 

pricey appointment....maybe she should have dressed at work which a lot of people do during Songkran

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, markclover said:

He paid the tourism tax he can do what he wants.

There is no tourism tax, so your comment is even more ridiculous as if there was one.

[brucegoniners]

Lock the idiot up in a Thai prison. He comes here to fight people? 

[Taboo2]

What a class A asshool!

 

I hope he gets a long prison time and have to pay that family 3 million baht or more.

 

The deport his ass and block him forever.

 

 

[animalmagic]

It's a bit like going to Pamplona and getting annoyed because you've just been gored by a bull.

[Bazerino]

Didn't understand the tradition? Was he teleported there & all of a suddent a man pours water over him, he must of seen what was going on when he first entered the Soi......

[bignok]

Compared to cancer, car crash, murder etc being splashed with water is a joy. No shirt indicates he expected it and maybe drunk. Then lies to police. A thug. 8 years in jail.

[Mad mick]

Well at least not an Aussie or Brit for change  , hec you know it's Songkran Thai new year just chill have some fun go home ,Your guest in there country if you don't like Thai tradition Don't go , simple as that .. 

[shackleton]

The Turkish tourist must have some missing brain cells ???? coming to Thailand over Songkran when most people celebrate throwing water  over everyone ????

Especially Pattaya who do it for a week non stop and is known world wide for celebrating Songkran that's why tourists come over this period ????

 

[Taboo2]

3 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

A nice idea, but I can't imagine many Thai people stopping to think about how a foreigner might feel about being pelted with water before doing so.  It would be interesting to see a Thailand where it happened though.  "Maybe we should think about how foreign people feel about things that to us seem fun but to them might feel like assault."  It might make the place a bit boring and less cheerful.

 

An annoying thing to happen, but not a proportionate response from the Turk.

 

Perhaps both Thais and foreigners alike need to be reminded of what will happen in the festival and how different people will feel differently about it.

This is not the first Songkran in Thailand...I remember as a student back in the 80's, this tradition was in the news.  Any man with 3 brain cells can put two and two together and observe a country that invited you in, observing a tradition.  If you are not sure, then ask questions or stay the f***k in your room.  People who come here and do not respect the culture deserve the consequence of resorting to violence.  That man is damaged and is lucky he did not pull that on a violent Western Tourist (aka Americans or Brits or Aussies who would not take crap from him).

[JustinCredible]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

............I realise that this is the perspective you view things from, but you have to be aware that the people you communicate with may see things in a slightly more nuance way.

Now, why to Pot and Kettle spring to mind?...........

[BangkokReady]

2 minutes ago, JustinCredible said:

Now, why to Pot and Kettle spring to mind?...........

Because you don't really understand what you're reading?

 

Can you explain how I might be "the pot calling the kettle black"?

[tukadadoll]

6 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Stupid tradition, but  that's no excuse...

Says you! People travel to experience! Songkran can be frustrating but it is part of Thailand culture. I find it harder and harder to to understand people?

[NextG]

If I don’t want to get wet, I wear a raincoat. 
If you want to be defiant and expect everyone to bend to your will, expect to be disabused of that notion. 

[RichardColeman]

Ramadan and alcohol do not mix well

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Stupid tradition, but  that's no excuse...

Yes, Turks have a tradition of being angry and are known to have a short fuse...