I have just heard from a fairly reliable source, that a tourist was stabbed after trying to retrieve his wife's bag that had been snatched away by a young man. Tourist reportedly now in Bangkok Hospital. Offence took place near Phuket Town markets.

Can anyone confirm. ?

Dutch tourist stabbed near Downtown Market

PHUKET CITY (Kom Chad Luek/Gazette): A Dutch tourist is recovering in Bangkok Phuket Hospital after being stabbed twice by a knife-wielding thief outside the Downtown Market on Ranong Rd last night.

The tourist, 51-year-old Thomas De Klerk, was shopping at the market with his wife Maria Kroezen at the time of the attack, staff at the hospital told the Gazette.

Article:

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=6124

Thanks for the swift confirmation.

I wrongly assumed that the Phuket Gazette wouldn't have the story yet......... Silly Me.

What we all need to do though is to warn all friends and relatives to be extra careful this

high season as robbery with violence happens here too.

Let's hope Phuket doesn't end up going the same way as Pattaya. After all, anywhere that you get a horde of tourists serves as a magnet for ne'er-do-wells... though you would hardly call the market a tourist precinct.

I wish the victim well and hope he's okay - big danger of serious infection.

Thanks for the swift confirmation.

You are welcome. It was already mentioned with a couple of sentences in The Nation yesterday.

MiniVDO: Phuket police are confident of bringing in to justice soon a culprit who robbed and stabbed a Dutchman.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=215380

An Inspector from Phuket City Police visited and questioned Thomas De Klerk, a 51 years old Dutch national, who is now being hospitalized at Bangkok Hospital Phuket. The man was stabbed resulting in two wounds, one on his left rib and one on his left arm, by a robber while Mr De Klerk and his wife went shopping at a down town market in the city’s heart. The incident happened on 25th November and the man is now recovering. Police also questioned his wife who was with him. Both of them provided useful information for officers, including the culprit’s appearance. Phuket Governor Nirund Kalayanamit who paid special attention to the case, instructed police to speed up the investigation and bring the wrong-doer to justice as it was a serious crime which affects the public and tourists’ confidence. The victim said after the incident he was well taken care of by all parties concerned.

from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) 8.30am + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, both broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket & Phuket Cable TV Channel 1 at 7, 10.30 or 11pm, Thursday 29 November 2007 & http://news.prd.go.th

"Remarkably, the latest victim in a protracted wave of violence against foreign tourists in

Thailand said he still felt good about Phuket." Yes, that is remarkable. These violent assaults

often resulting in death, seem to be happening about once a week now. The general state

of the nation seems to be more prosperous than in the past, I can't help but think all the

negative farang propaganda the media often plays to hasn't created a shift in the culture

where it seems to be less of an offence to commit crimes against foreigners.

Mate just got a gun shoved in his face and robbed outside a 7/11 in Patong.. Wasnt silly o'clock, he hadnt been to the ATM, just random mugging but using shooters to do so in new.

I was talking with some Thai friends the other day and they mentioned a lot of people are hurting for money now. Those cheap village loans that Taksin handed out a few years ago are now due for repayment.

They were telling me people took out the loans to buy motorbikes and gamble. The moneys all gone with no way to pay it back.

I wonder if this is contributing to the number of robberies.

Mate just got a gun shoved in his face and robbed outside a 7/11 in Patong.. Wasnt silly o'clock, he hadnt been to the ATM, just random mugging but using shooters to do so in new.

This is becoming very disturbing.

Yes I think you are partly right Farma - there are people hurting here, plus there does seem to be an increase in Yaa Baa usage, and robbery is part of that scene unfortunately.

Mate just got a gun shoved in his face and robbed outside a 7/11 in Patong.. Wasnt silly o'clock, he hadnt been to the ATM, just random mugging but using shooters to do so in new.

This is becoming very disturbing.

Yes I think you are partly right Farma - there are people hurting here, plus there does seem to be an increase in Yaa Baa usage, and robbery is part of that scene unfortunately.

It is a worry, but I will be back to Chalong in the New Year.

I have never felt threatened anywhere in Thailand, except Pattaya......... well very wary, if not actually threatened.

KiwiPete