Phuket Resort GM 'Safe' After Stabbing Attack

[webfact]

Phuket resort GM 'safe' after stabbing attack

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The well-known general manager of a luxury resort in Phuket is out of danger following emergency surgery for stab wounds sustained in a brawl outside a Phuket Town nightclub early yesterday morning.

The victim, 30-year-old Vorasit “Plawan” Issara, was stabbed twice in the abdomen outside the Rachada Pub in the Phun Pol area of Phuket Town at about 4am yesterday.

Mr Vorasit was rushed to Bangkok Phuket Hospital, where he is now reported to be out of danger, a source at the luxury Sripanwa Resort told the Gazette this morning.

Phuket City Police will hold a press conference this morning to present at least two of his assailants to the media.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle11901.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-05

[webfact]

Six charged for Phuket resort GM stabbing; Hollywood actor Renner caught in brawl

The six suspects were presented by Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangku (back row, right) at Phuket City Police Station this morning.

Link to video: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle11909.html

PHUKET: -- Six staff of the Rachada Pub in Phuket Town have been charged with attempted murder for the stabbing of Sri Panwa Resort General Manager Vorasit Issara early yesterday morning.

In his first major press conference since taking up his position as Phuket City Police Superintendent last week, Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangku this morning presented the suspects to the press as:

Jarungsak “Ao” Sawangkij, 29, from Krabi

Suriya “Ek” Kraipian, 33, from Bangkok

Suchart “Ball” Palae, 26, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat

Nareubate “Ko” Tednok, 18, from Trang,

Natthawut “King” Kongplub, 19, from Surat Thani

Wasan “Sun” Poethong, 20, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

All six have confessed that they attacked Mr Vorasit and his associates, Maj Gen Chonasit said.

Also presented as evidence to the media were clothes worn by the suspects and the weapons they used, which included a variety of clubs and cutting instruments, including a home-made axe fashioned from a motorcycle brake rotor.

Maj Gen Chonasit said the fight started after 31-year-old Mr Vorasit dropped a glass on the floor, but no further details were provided.

At this stage of the press conference, one of the suspects began to offer his version of the events that led up to the fight. He was quickly silenced by the new police chief who said the case was still under investigation.

Mr Vorasit’s main injuries were caused by Mr Suchart, who stabbed him in the stomach, and Mr Nareubate, who chopped at his neck with the rotor axe, Maj Gen Chonasit told the media.

Mr Vorasit remains in hospital with serious wounds to the stomach and partially severed neck tendons. He also suffered bruises to his entire body.

Investigating officers at Phuket City Police Station also confirmed to the Gazette that Mr Vorasit’s driver Noppadon Preechawai and one his friends, Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner, also suffered minor injuries in the melee.

Renner stars in the current hit movie Mission Impossible 4 and was nominated for the Academy Award of Best Actor for his role in the critically acclaimed Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker.

A reliable source told the Gazette that Mr Vorasit’s party comprised his driver and four foreign friends, two women and two men.

The group went to the KorTorMor Pub near Nimit Circle, then another club near Royal Phuket City Hotel before they arrived at the Rachada Pub.

Mr Vorasit, who had been drinking, became embroiled in an argument with the bar staff before he was attacked, the source said.

The incident happened at around 4:30am, several hours past the mandatory closing time for bars.

Maj Gen Chonasit therefore ordered the venue closed for the next six months.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle11909.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-05

[TAWP]

Force-closing the venue for 6 months might be the biggest punishment handed out in this case...atleast it will hurt the owner a bit for hiring thugs as staff.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Force-closing the venue for 6 months might be the biggest punishment handed out in this case...atleast it will hurt the owner a bit for hiring thugs as staff.

It's very necessary to have thugs on staff when you're located in an area run by thugs, so many of your customers are thugs etc.

It's entirely possible in such a high-profile case that something totally different took place and these guys are just being paid well to take the rap and will be free to go once everything dies down. Or not, but for sure no one on the outside can be completely sure of the truth.

[drdoom6996]

Force-closing the venue for 6 months might be the biggest punishment handed out in this case...atleast it will hurt the owner a bit for hiring thugs as staff.

It's very necessary to have thugs on staff when you're located in an area run by thugs, so many of your customers are thugs etc.

It's entirely possible in such a high-profile case that something totally different took place and these guys are just being paid well to take the rap and will be free to go once everything dies down. Or not, but for sure no one on the outside can be completely sure of the truth.

Get a bigger gun. That's so stupid I don't know what to say. No wonder you don't live in your own country. You would be in Jail.

[monty1412]

Force-closing the venue for 6 months might be the biggest punishment handed out in this case...atleast it will hurt the owner a bit for hiring thugs as staff.

It's very necessary to have thugs on staff when you're located in an area run by thugs, so many of your customers are thugs etc.

It's entirely possible in such a high-profile case that something totally different took place and these guys are just being paid well to take the rap and will be free to go once everything dies down. Or not, but for sure no one on the outside can be completely sure of the truth.

Get a bigger gun. That's so stupid I don't know what to say. No wonder you don't live in your own country. You would be in Jail.

I actually thought what BigJohhnyBkk had to say made sense and was pretty accurate.. not sure why it vexed you so but your over reaction is uncalled for . One does wonder why you ventured forth as you did.....

[Tanuki]

Yeah can I ask what on earth was a homemade axe and all these weapons doing at a pub? Throw the owner on the bin as well. Glad to see the top cop is a gamer good job closing it down for 5 months. Lock these dirtbags up for the duration we don't need animals out on the same streets with civilized people.

[sydneyjed]

Most bars and thais would stock tools such as this...it's normal protocal for them ...As for what happened etc...and why?Well it was 4-30 a.m. in the morning and a question of face would have been in there somewhere!

Edited January 5, 2012 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[wpcoe]

Partially severed neck tendons from being swung at with an improvised axe -- that's pretty vicious!

I wonder how much the handling of this incident is affected by the presence of a Best Actor Academy Award nominee in the midst of the action? Some serious damage control is required? It seems that Phuket has been getting battered pretty heavily this past year in the PR department.

[eagleflyinghigh]

PHUKET: -- Six staff of the Rachada Pub in Phuket Town have been charged with attempted murder for the stabbing of Sri Panwa Resort General Manager Vorasit Issara early yesterday morning.

Maj Gen Chonasit said the fight started after 31-year-old Mr Vorasit dropped a glass on the floor, but no further details were provided.

The incident happened at around 4:30am, several hours past the mandatory closing time for bars.

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-05

Wishes for a quick recovery and lesson learnt not to loiter around at 4:30 AM at illegally open places. Especially being GM (really ?, or just family of the rich Thai owners - 31 years is far too young for such a position) of a supposedly luxurious resort with strange customers who apparently have been with him.

[steelepulse]

I know the victim, but if he was a regular punter and not from a prominent family, this would have been swept under the rug, I'll make no comments as to what is right or wrong in this scenario as it happens to be a known person from a known family, but in reality we know the pub in question and the six assailants would not be under the same scrutiny as they are now.

Now if only the Bibs would have the same tenacity to apprehend all culprits as they did in this case, Phuket would be safer.

[webfact]

Six charged for Phuket resort GM stabbing

The Nation, Phuket Gazette

Hollywood actor Renner caught in brawl

Six staff members of the Carnala-Rachada Pub in Phuket Town have been arrested for allegedly stabbing and assaulting Sri Panwa Resort General Manager Vorasit Issara early yesterday morning and charged with attempted murder.

At a police conference, the six men are identified as Jarungsak Sawangkij, 29, from Krabi, Suriya Kraipian, 33, from Bangkok, Nareubate Tednok, 18, from Trang, Natthawut Kongplub, 19, from Surat Thani, and Suchart Palae, 26, and Wasan Poethong, 20, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

Phuket police said to the Gazette later that Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner, along with Vorasit's driver, Noppadon Preechawai, also suffered minor injuries in the melee. Yutthiphong Simngarm, a friend of Vorasit, has sustained cut wounds for covering Vorasit's body with his.

Provincial police chief Pol Maj General Chonasit Wattanavrangku said he would propose closing CarnalaRachada Pub, which has permit, for 60 days for operating beyond legal hours on Wednesday, when the brawl occurred.

The closure, when imposed, could be extended further if police found later that there were several brawls taking place previously. The incident has prompted police to be stricter with operating hours at all night entertainment venues throughout Phuket.

Provincial governor Tree Akkharadecha said there were around 200 venues operating without permits in addition to those 500 with permits. He did not say how come provincial authorities were aware of the number of those illegally at service but had not take action against them before the incident.

Also presented as evidence at the press conference were clothes worn by the suspects and the weapons they used, which included a variety of clubs and cutting instruments, including a homemade axe fashioned from a motorcycle brake rotor.

Chonasit said the fight started after 31yearold Mr Vorasit dropped a glass on the floor, but no further details were provided. Vorasit's main injuries were caused by Suchart, who stabbed him in the stomach, and Nareubate, who chopped at his neck with the rotor axe, the officer said.

He said that quick police action and arrests of the suspects had nothing to do with wealth and public image of Vorasit.

Vorasit remains in hospital with serious wounds to the stomach and partially severed neck tendons. He also suffered bruises to his entire body.

Renner stars in the current hit movie Mission Impossible 4 and was nominated for the Academy Award of Best Actor for his role in the critically acclaimed Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker.

A reliable source told the Gazette that Vorasit's party comprised his driver and four foreign friends, two women and two men.

The group went to the KorTorMor Pub near Nimit Circle, then another club near Royal Phuket City Hotel before they arrived at the Rachada Pub. Vorasit, who had been drinking, became embroiled in an argument with the bar staff before he was attacked, the source said.

The incident happened at around 4:30am, several hours past the mandatory closing time for bars.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

[NanLaew]

The new chief cop gets what he needs; a case where he can look like the new broom sweeping clean. He claims that the club will be closed for 6 months and six street punks hired as 'staff' get booked. Meanwhile, in a few weeks, money will change hands and the club will reopen since, like Bangkok clubs that are for the moneyed Thai's, it's probably owned by a local cop. Certainly a local cop was taking backhanders so that it could operate late... just like the clubs in the 'other resort' that Phuket tends to look down on.

BTW, here's the island resorts new 2012 advertising tagline.

"Phuket... it isn't all that."

[laurentbkk]

WELCOME TO PHUKET

[animatic]

He's only 'proposing' to close it 60 days, or high season.

Also it is a bunch of East coast isthmus guys in the brawl

so not exactly locals as far as the Phuket street is concerned.

Yes, perfect timing for the new Chief to show his hammer.

[webfact]

Pub Stabbing Suspects Charged with Attempted Murder

Phuket police have charged all six suspects in a pub stabbing case with attempted murder as they have all allegedly confessed to assaulting the victim with knives and sharp objects.

Commissioner of the Phuket Provincial Police, Police Major General Chanasit Watthanawarangkul said that the suspects work as waiters and one as a security guard at the Rachada รัชดา Pub in province's Muang District.

The six have been identified as Suchat Pala who worked as a pub security guard, and the other five work as waiters at the pub, namely Naruebet Thepnok, Charungsak Sawaengkij, Suriya Kraipien, Nutthawut Kongplub and Wasan Phothong.

The commissioner stated that the brawl broke out when the suspects had an argument with Sri Panwa Hotel executive Worasit Issara and five other friends, as the group misunderstood, thinking a glass was thrown at them.

Chanasit said all six of the men have confessed to assaulting Worasit with a jungle knife and axe-like objects. Investigators charged the six with attempted murder.

Meanwhile, Phuket Governor Tri Akharadecha said he has instructed the province's administrative body and chief of Muang District to take legal action against the pub's owner for opening beyond the permitted time.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-06

[Jimjim]

Jeremy Renner!

That's crazy. I loved Hurt Locker.

After I read this here I simply googled him and since he was there this is in all the major gossip news sites in the U.S. and elsewhere. I'm talking TMZ, E! Online, Huffington Post and even in other more mainstream news sites like Los Angeles Times, CBS, etc.

Wow, was he in Asia recently for a premier of the new movie? I guess it's been out for a while now, anyway, that's just crazy stuff but only because he happened to be there. He's probably just on holiday and the manager of a luxury resort wanting to take him out makes sense.

Otherwise it's not surprising, we've seen this kind of Phuket and other tourist places violent news before. Welcome to Thailand, Jeremy Renner, you got to see the real Thailand this time!

[thaiIand]

hopefully Jeremy Renner talks to the gossip venues and destroy a few % of phuket's tourism.

[grantbkk]

From TMZ one of the most popular gossip rags online in the USA:

Jeremy Renner Beat Up in Thailand -- One Man Slashed with Axe

Jeremy Renner was attacked in Phuket, Thailand in an early morning bar brawl that left one man in serious condition after getting slashed in the neck with a rotor axe.

Thai authorities say Jeremy and his party had been bar hopping and ended up at the club where the violence broke out at 4:30 AM, after hours. One of the men in Jeremy's party -- Vorasit Issara, the General Manager of the Siri Panwa Resort -- dropped a glass on the floor and apparently that started the melee.

Six men -- who apparently worked at the bar -- then allegedly attacked Jeremy, Vorasit and the others in their party. In addition to being stabbed in the neck, Vorasit was stabbed in the stomach with a knife.

One source claims Vorasit was drinking and was in a heated argument with the bar staff immediately before the attack. The six men who attacked Jeremy's group were arrested.

Jeremy suffered minor injuries.

8:15AM PT: According to his rep, Jeremy left the bar when the fight broke out ... and was not injured at all.

[wxyz]

The 6 were beating him, stabbing him and chopping his head off, why did they stop?

Even more surprising is why the four farangs were not arrested instead.

Welcome to the Wild Wild East

TMZ headline "Beware Random Axe of Violence" lol

Jeremy Renner recently, as a United Nations Goodwill Peace Ambassador

Edited January 6, 2012 by wxyz

[Chopperboy]

The axe is like a piece of art!

Welding doesn't look up to much though.

Why is a Holywood actor out in public without bodyguards - because he thinks Thailand is safe??

[KKvampire]

Force-closing the venue for 6 months might be the biggest punishment handed out in this case...atleast it will hurt the owner a bit for hiring thugs as staff.

And shouldnt be able to get a licence to open at another venue, but I doubt that will happen

[Roj]

About time foreign governments started issuing travel warnings for Phuket!

[PoodMaiDai]

The thing I love about when Thais attack foreigners is that they always have to use weapons and attack in numbers. A bunch of little boys they are.

This should give Phuket a black eye for a little bit.

[MisterMan]

not that anyone should get assaulted like that but pity it was not 6 tuk tuk drivers.

[farang000999]

Some back luck running into a HiSo guy huh?

[webfact]

Phuket 'Pla wan' stabbing: 'I'm sorry,' says pub owner

Phuket Gazette

Rachada pub owner Sawat Prueksakij vowed to investigate the incident that left Vorasit ‘Pla-wan’ Issara stabbed in the stomach and hacked in the neck with an axe. Photo: Warisa Temram

The Rachada pub in Phuket Town has been ordered closed for 90 days. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The owner of the Rachada pub in Phuket Town yesterday apologized in person to Vorasit “Pla-wan” Issara, General Manager of the Sri Panwa Resort, for the attack that led to him being stabbed in the stomach and hacked in the neck with a makeshift axe.

“I am very sorry about what happened. I will call my staff together and question them about what happened,” said Rachada owner Sawat Prueksakij.

“I will also assist the police in their investigation against the six men charged.”

Mr Sawat said the incident – which happened at about 4:30am, several hours after the mandatory closing time – was the worst to ever occur at his establishment.

“We have had some conflicts before, and we have a strict policy of ensuring that people entering the pub are of legal age and are not carrying weapons, but we have never had staff harming patrons,” Mr Sawat said.

“I knew nothing about any weapons on the premises,” he added.

Mr Sawat was accompanied by a delegation of several owners of Phuket Town night life venues, all members of Phuket City Entertainment Business Club.

“We feel sad about what happened,” said club president Surathin Lien-udom. “If possible, we never want this kind of incident ever happening again.”

Following the attack, the Rachada pub has been ordered closed for 90 days.

Mr Vorasit’s secretary told the Phuket Gazette that Mr Vorasit has recovered a little since being admitted to Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Phuket Town.

“He has to stay in the hospital because doctors are concerned his wounds may become infected,” she said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle11925.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-07

[pattayadingo]

I had to look in on this topic when I also read it in Yahoo with their headline of

Jeremy Renner attacked in Thailand.

‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ star Jeremy Renner was caught up in a real-life action scene in Phuket, Thailand last night - and saw a pal seriously wounded with an axe.

As has been said, more good publicity for Thailand and Phuket in particular. I do wonder if those charged with murder will do proper time after TiT.

But at least Thailand got some publicity out of this that they did not really want and it may, just may, make some people realise Thailand can be a dangerous place an not always the LOS it claims to be. Not that I suppose it will really make one iota of difference in the long run.

[ttelise]

Axe us awesome. I was thinking some piece of shit brake rotor tied to a broom handle.

[Old Croc]

The axe is like a piece of art!

Welding doesn't look up to much though.

Why is a Holywood actor out in public without bodyguards - because he thinks Thailand is safe??

So "Chopperboy" likes the axe!

As the guy is about to play the title role in the new Jason Bourne movie, perhaps he didn't feel the need for bodyguards,