Family Of Man In Skytrain Scuffle Threatened

[Lite Beer]

Family of man in Skytrain scuffle threatened

WISIT CHUANPIPATPONG

THE NATION ON SUNDAY March 25, 2012 1:00 am

BANGKOK:-- The wife of Irish teacher John Behan, 37, who was involved in an altercation with a security guard at the Skytrain's Phrom Pong Station last week, yesterday filed a police complaint reporting that her family had received a threatening phone call.

Patcharamas Phusri, 36, said a Thai man speaking English called the language school where her husband worked on Friday afternoon to say that if her husband remained in Thailand, the couple would be harmed. Police contacted the telephone authority in an attempt to trace the phone call and asked patrol officers to step up checks on the school.

Upset that the family was being viewed negatively by society, she urged executives of BTS, the Skytrain operator, to release security-camera footage of the incident, saying a clip available on the Internet showed only a part of what really happened. She said the family hadn't yet received any remedial measures, reimbursement for treatment of her husband's head injury, or a personal apology from BTS. She said she wanted to talk with the BTS to settle the matter, and also that she felt uneasy that the security guard had been fired over the incident.

-- The Nation 2012-03-25

[Ulysses G.]

I hope that they do release that CCTV footage. I find it very difficult to believe that this guy was attacked by security without asking for it in some way.

[F4UCorsair]

Me too Ulysses. No guard, no matter how undertrained, would just clobber a traveler for the hell of it.

Interesting that the wife has said there has been no apology and there are those on other threads swearing that the BTS management has apologized, so therefore BTS guards must have been in the wrong, at best cock eyed logic, and at worst, just plain foolish in a country where 'face' is so important..

Edited March 25, 2012 by F4UCorsair

[theblether]

Once again,

Here is the danger of losing your temper in Thailand.

Now this family is being intimidated. All because this man created a confrontation. It's stupidity on his part. Who, with any knowledge of Thailand, would seriously consider causing a confrontation over a bunch of balloons?

Yes the assault was over the top, but let it be a lesson to everybody.

Don't fight in Thailand, don't be aggressive in Thailand, don't look for confrontation.

You will pay a price like you cannot believe, just as this guy has done.

Edited March 25, 2012 by theblether

[lovelomsak]

When i read about this I think of what would have happened in Canada, if he didnot comply with a quards request. Here is what I think would have happened especially if he tried to force his way through with the balloons. He would have probably been tasered. Then balloons and him taken to local police station and his wife and child would have had to arrange bail. He would have had to go to court and probably have a criminal record at the end of it all. He and his family should apologize to the quard, the BTS and pay the quard for lost wages , pain and suffering.

A public apology would help alot.

Edited March 25, 2012 by lovelomsak

[necronx99]

When i read about this I think of what would have happened in Canada, if he didnot comply with a quards request. Here is what I think would have happened especially if he tried to force his way through with the balloons. He would have probably been tasered. Then balloons and him taken to local police station and his wife and child would have had to arrange bail. He would have had to go to court and probably have a criminal record at the end of it all. He and his family should apologize to the quard, the BTS and pay the quard for lost wages , pain and suffering.

A public apology would help alot.

New York and he probably would have been shot...

[theblether]

This guy has offered up a half hearted apology. He caused the problem, end of story.

If he has a further complaint about being attacked and beaten twice, fair comment, except....

He caused the problem in the first place. No excuses, it's down to him for non-compliance.

[BookMan]

The power of video.

The simple act of catching part of this whole affair on video has been to bring it to the public attention in Thailand. It has run extensively across the main media and been given a lot of TV airtime (radio also I presume), online forums, newspapers etcetera. I'm sure dozens of forums about Thailand like this one have also been hot with the debate and speculation.

Had this not been caught on video it would almost certainly have been a non story.

[BookMan]

When i read about this I think of what would have happened in Canada, if he didnot comply with a quards request. Here is what I think would have happened especially if he tried to force his way through with the balloons. He would have probably been tasered. Then balloons and him taken to local police station and his wife and child would have had to arrange bail. He would have had to go to court and probably have a criminal record at the end of it all. He and his family should apologize to the quard, the BTS and pay the quard for lost wages , pain and suffering.

A public apology would help alot.

New York and he probably would have been shot...

Australia, detained, maybe arrested, most likely fined couple of hundred dollars...or, staff don't want to get involved and pretend nothing happened.

[DP25]

I don't think the guy and his family wouldn't be begging for the footage to be released if it showed him asking for it. Unless a verbal argument is now considered asking for it. Which many here believe is the case.

However, he should have known not to get in a verbal argument to begin with, especially with a lower class untrained rent a cop. Thailand is generally a pleasant and non confrontational society, but the flipside to this is that some Thais are carrying around years of suppressed anger and frustration and when it finally explodes it isn't pretty.

[Pseudolus]

Most of the time I would assume these crank calls are a load of hit air. In Thailand though I would tend to believe the warning and get the hell out of town.

[canuckamuck]

When i read about this I think of what would have happened in Canada, if he didnot comply with a quards request. Here is what I think would have happened especially if he tried to force his way through with the balloons. He would have probably been tasered. Then balloons and him taken to local police station and his wife and child would have had to arrange bail. He would have had to go to court and probably have a criminal record at the end of it all. He and his family should apologize to the quard, the BTS and pay the quard for lost wages , pain and suffering.

A public apology would help alot.

BS, this would not have made it passed a stern conversation with the first transit cop encountered if this were in Canada. The Canadian police do not smash people in the face with appliances when they see someone is upset with them. They have training.

[jonclark]

Once again,

Here is the danger of losing your temper in Thailand.

Now this family is being intimidated. All because this man created a confrontation. It's stupidity on his part. Who, with any knowledge of Thailand, would seriously consider causing a confrontation over a bunch of balloons?

Yes the assault was over the top, but let it be a lesson to everybody.

Don't fight in Thailand, don't be aggressive in Thailand, don't look for confrontation.

You will pay a price like you cannot believe, just as this guy has done.

Like the last line just because from a social perspecitive it underscores the disappointing levels of protection minority groups can expect in Thailand. You wouldn't think we were living in the 21st Century would you?

This whole saga has turned into a minor race war with the dividing lines being drawn on the basis of skin colour and ethnicity, as opposed to right and wrong, and TV news coverage has passively encouraged this.

This event and subsequent media coverage of it just makes me pity Thailand and Thai people so much more.

Edited March 25, 2012 by jonclark

[crusader79]

They'd better stay off the tracks!

[Reasonableman]

Wasn't this all done to death yesterday? The hounds are still baying for blood today? Give it a rest, FGS. The family has been threatened, and yes the threat should be taken seriously. Are you happy now? Is it enough, or do you want them all to live in fear, or be run out of the country? Is that justice? Is that reasonable punishment for an altercation about freakin balloons? Take a good look at yourselves in the mirror before disparaging others. If you have never made a mistake or done something illegal, then cast your stone.

[canuckamuck]

I think the online forums and media shoulder some of the responsibility here. The video shows only the man's angry response to being assaulted, but neglects to show the cause of it, and the two beatings he received. There should have been words to that effect. Instead people were led to believe that the anger of the Irishman was the issue and he has therefore been judged on only the evidience against him and nothing in his favor.

I think he needs to consider his families safety now and at least take a holiday.

This shows the need to be responsible when posting videos in public, This video may have ruined his life, when it was initially taken with the intent to show how badly he was being treated. According to the women who shot the video.

Edited March 25, 2012 by canuckamuck

[KKvampire]

Once again,

Here is the danger of losing your temper in Thailand.

Now this family is being intimidated. All because this man created a confrontation. It's stupidity on his part. Who, with any knowledge of Thailand, would seriously consider causing a confrontation over a bunch of balloons?

Yes the assault was over the top, but let it be a lesson to everybody.

Don't fight in Thailand, don't be aggressive in Thailand, don't look for confrontation.

You will pay a price like you cannot believe, just as this guy has done.

Wow you really make assumptions, But we know one fact . Thais Are not so calm and placid with the fake smiles Mafia tendencies come out threatening family members , they have as many racists thugs, and trigger happy "law enforcement?" officials as other countries, probably more in bangkok

Edited March 25, 2012 by KKvampire

[submaniac]

BTS should just release the video. If BTS doesn't release the CCTV video (and since they're the only ones with access to it), then Mr. Behan's story should be accepted.

Whatever happened, the death threats and this entire circus is getting out of hand. Mr. Behan is not <deleted>' Hitler; at worst he's a guy who lost his temper.

Edited March 25, 2012 by submaniac

[canuckamuck]

@Longstebe, touche, but the airport has not the same tolerances as a skytrain either.

[longstebe]

@Longstebe, touche, but the airport has not the same tolerances as a skytrain either.

Fair comment.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[w11guy]

In the UK the police wouldn't even bother turning up, because it would mean too much paperwork to fill in.

[Reasonableman]

The thread is about "family threatened", not macho fantasies of enforced compliance, or how the USA and Canada are "better" because they use the threat of deadly force. Get a grip.

[necronx99]

BTS should just release the video. If BTS doesn't release the CCTV video (and since they're the only ones with access to it), then Mr. Behan's story should be accepted.

Whatever happened, the death threats and this entire circus is getting out of hand. Mr. Behan is not <deleted>' Hitler; at worst he's a guy who lost his temper.

Thai forums, Hub of storms in teacups.

When are you going to be promoted to Full Maniac?

[BrianCR]

When i read about this I think of what would have happened in Canada, if he didnot comply with a quards request. Here is what I think would have happened especially if he tried to force his way through with the balloons. He would have probably been tasered. Then balloons and him taken to local police station and his wife and child would have had to arrange bail. He would have had to go to court and probably have a criminal record at the end of it all. He and his family should apologize to the quard, the BTS and pay the quard for lost wages , pain and suffering.

A public apology would help alot.

New York and he probably would have been shot...

Luckily we live in Thailand and not Canada or New York

[necronx99]

@Longstebe, touche, but the airport has not the same tolerances as a skytrain either.

Tell that to the Brazilian guy the cops shot on the underground..

[longstebe]

@Longstebe, touche, but the airport has not the same tolerances as a skytrain either.

Tell that to the Brazilian guy the cops shot on the underground..

Oh yeah, forgot about that one.

Its all coming out now isn't it

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Head Snake]

In one of the first articles, it said the wife was not present;but, was called and told her husband was in some problems at the BTS.

SO.... She is likely going off what her husband told her and she likely has no clue what the BTS CCTV video will show.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

holocaust doomsday theorists...

Really? Dunno what thread you've been following here.

The rest of us have been reading and commenting on a video showing a farang teacher acting like a jerk in public...

You must be on some different planet.

Edited March 25, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[submaniac]

BTS should just release the video. If BTS doesn't release the CCTV video (and since they're the only ones with access to it), then Mr. Behan's story should be accepted.

Whatever happened, the death threats and this entire circus is getting out of hand. Mr. Behan is not <deleted>' Hitler; at worst he's a guy who lost his temper.

Thai forums, Hub of storms in teacups.

When are you going to be promoted to Full Maniac?

...one day..one day...

[NewlyMintedThai]

He works at a "language school" now, not an "international school"?