Phuket tourist stabbed at Phi Phi beach party

Still smiling, British tourist Nicholas Palmer recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket this afternoon. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: A British backpacker is recovering in Bangkok Hospital Phuket tonight after being stabbed at a beach party on Phi Phi Island.

Nicholas Palmer, 22, was rushed to Phuket by speedboat at about 1am today after he was stabbed twice in the middle of a crowded party at Ton Sai Bay.

Mr Palmer, from Worcestershire in England, underwent an operation this afternoon to repair a three-centimeter gash to his liver.

“I am not really sure what happened. I was walking back to my friends in the middle of the crowd when it happened,” he said.

“I don’t understand it. I haven’t had an argument with anyone and I have no idea why he would do that in the middle of so many people,” he said.

“I think he went to steal my wallet, but when I realized what he was doing I think that’s when it happened,” he added.

Mr Palmer’s friend, Richard Gregory, 23, told the Phuket Gazette that he had been informed that the police have arrested the suspect.

When speaking to the Gazette this afternoon, however, Mr Palmer had yet to give his statement to police.

“The doctor told me that I need to stay in the hospital about seven days,” Mr Palmer said.

Phi Phi Police chief Kunakorn Pingsakul told the Gazette the suspect was Hamed Poonyung, 23, from Satun province.

He was working as a hotel staffer.

“He was arrested two hours after Nicholas was stabbed,” Lt Col Kunakorn said.

“It was not about robbery as we have already checked the CCTV footage. Both Hamed and Nicholas were drunk and had a bit of a fight before [Nicholas] was stabbed.

“Hamed has been charged with attempted murder. What he has done is not good as it affects our tourism image,” he added.

Hamed is being held in custody on Phi Phi Island.

“Tomorrow, we will present him to Krabi Provincial Court in the morning, then our investigating officers will go to Phuket to question Nicholas,” Lt Col Kunakorn said.

Despite the incident, Mr Palmer and Mr Gregory, who graduated in the UK just last year, remain undaunted about continuing their travel plans.

“Four of us came to Thailand on October 11 and we arrived on Phi Phi two days ago. It was our first time on Phi Phi,” explained Mr Gregory.

“We planned to go to Laos, then on the 24th we were to go to Australia. We have a work visa and want to travel there.

“We will wait for Nick to get better, then he will come with us. I think he will be all right. Because we think that going back home is boring,” he added.

Mr Palmer confirmed that his family had been informed of the incident.

“My mother was cheering me up to get better,” he smiled.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11262.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-10-21

What he has done is not good as it affects our tourism image

Otherwise it's okay to go about stabbing people?

he does not want to go back home to UK because he said it is boring. I guess that is why so many Brits come to Thailand!

Claiming he hadn't been in any arguments that night, good ol' Nicky fits right in with the half-truth telling smiling boobs of the country he's visiting. Yep. Don't expect to piss off an island local and not get a vengeful knifing. Get well soon...and go to Australia!

What he has done is not good as it affects our tourism image

Otherwise it's okay to go about stabbing people?

I know; you see that spiel week-in, week-out! I swear it must be a 'lost in translation' thing. They really can't be that cold, can they?

No good comes from arguing with Thais in Thailand. Nothing to win and so much to lose.

Posted Today, 02:48

No good comes from arguing with Thais in Thailand. Nothing to win and so much to lose.

I presume that the above comment means that we have to accept and any crap that comes our way? What a way to have to live!

Claiming he hadn't been in any arguments that night, good ol' Nicky fits right in with the half-truth telling smiling boobs of the country he's visiting. Yep. Don't expect to piss off an island local and not get a vengeful knifing. Get well soon...and go to Australia!

Translation please ... someone????? Who are you disparaging? Nick, the half-truth telling boobs (Thais I suppose) or Australians?

What he has done is not good as it affects our tourism image

Otherwise it's okay to go about stabbing people?

Yeah, everything is about how tourists "view" Thailand and about the country's "image".

No concern that Thais can escalate a disagreement or argument at a party to murder within a few minutes.

That's a sick puppy that needs more than just putting him in a cage.

This is just the beginning of his life of violence if he doesn't get some help.

And how many more sick puppies are out there?

Doesn't seem to take much at all to set people off these days.

Claiming he hadn't been in any arguments that night, good ol' Nicky fits right in with the half-truth telling smiling boobs of the country he's visiting. Yep. Don't expect to piss off an island local and not get a vengeful knifing. Get well soon...and go to Australia!

He wasn't local. If you read it carefuly, it says he is from Satun province and most of the Thais I know would stay away from there, there are a lot of loonies out there on the South.

Yes, but he was living, and working there. I'm glad that he's off the street for now.

Claiming he hadn't been in any arguments that night, good ol' Nicky fits right in with the half-truth telling smiling boobs of the country he's visiting. Yep. Don't expect to piss off an island local and not get a vengeful knifing. Get well soon...and go to Australia!

He wasn't local. If you read it carefuly, it says he is from Satun province and most of the Thais I know would stay away from there, there are a lot of loonies out there on the South.