Thai man points pistol at Russian visitor in Phuket

[Guest]

Ok, it's time to break the story in a bit smaller parts.

First, I'm happy to see all kind of analytical thinking around the video and the story. Some people have seen things that I missed. Good learning opportunity. Different people with different backgrounds and experiences are able to notice things which others simply do not.

Without the police report and arrest, mentioned on OP, my initial instinct would have been this was an viral advertise for some new tv-series or low cost movie. But there was the official part, which would mean that after publishing this video, the Thai man on the video would be in big trouble, enforced by TAT etc, as ruining the reputation of the country. That does not add up.

Back to breaking the video and story to smaller parts. At the moment, I believe that the video is real. I also have doubts, but that's not included in this.

Please disagree, but when you do so, please do it with arguments. Beavis & Butt-head style of commenting is not that.

Weeks before the incident

- Russian guy had an affair with the lovely Thai lady. At first he did not know that the lady have an husband nor boyfriend. He might have learned this later on when the relation developed over the weeks.

- The normal Thai 'love' story...

Days before the incident

- Russian learned that the 'brother' was her husband as she alerted him.

Earlier on the day of the incident

- She told him that her husband have a replica gun and he is coming to him

- Thai man comes to knock the door earlier, which the russian man does not answer

- Thai man cones to knock the door again. This time the Russian man have video camera setup and pushes the record button, he opens the door. After this we see the wideo.

Thai man behavior on the video

- He is not really in his own comfort zone as being bully with an gun

- First words 'sit down' instead of 'go back'. In case of real event, that could mean that he is insecure of the height difference. This also means that they both have seen each other earlier.

- Posing a bit larger, but most of the times posing as person who is ready to escape or defend (fake gun and afraid if the Russian does something)

- Not a real bully, just a kid who is afraid

Russian man behavior

- Keeping cool all the time

- One reason could be that he knows that the Thai man is not a real threat and have a fake gun

- Another is that he knows that he films this event for future actions. This could also explain why he does not fight.

- He also knows that he has done something wrong to the relationship of the Thais.

- At the end of the video, he exhales

After the incident

- Russian man changes his location, uploads the video to a secure place to be sure that it will be published in case of...

- Russian reports the incident to the Phuket police

Few weeks after this (present time)

- Russian want's his experiences to be shown to the world and uploads the video to the Youtube. This might be as he has been asked to do so. Or might be that he wishes to get real results of the investigation (and they guy as well as his wife to be punished). Or it might be that this could give the 15 minutes of fame and money which comes along it.

Blurred video

- The reason blurring the video could be that some of the countries it's not allowed to show videos of accused when they are not convicted. Therefore blurring the face of the Thai man would mean that the video could be sold to more countries.

Now, all of this is of course fully speculative. Do not be a keyboard warrior and say something lame as "Those TV Sherlock's again". Instead of that, play with the idea, develope it or change as you wish. I don't take these stories too seriously and hope that none who is not directly involved with the news, does not either.

[bearpolar]

Why did he set up video equipment before opening the door? He must have known something was up. And he is way too calm.

He should have taken the 10,000 Baht and blamed the girl, she was the one fooling around.

For once i gotta agree with you.

Drives me nuts how guys become protective of their girlfriends when they hit up other guys. Just slap the hoe and dump her. How is it the guy's fault? As long as the woman gives signs that she wants to be seduced(even if married) it becomes fair play.

[baboon]

where's Victor Marx when you need him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWP3vZcKUvo

and yes I totally would attempt to disarm someone but ONLY if they had me on my knees and were preparing to shoot,

I'm fully prepared for a shit storm of the usual crowd calling me a dead man,"have a go hero",cowboy etc,

but because I'm a self defense Student AND Instructor,and also shoot,I'm pretty sure that video would have ended in a dead Thai tough guy if I'd been in that poor Russian guy's shoes.

And quite possibly a life sentence in prison after you murdered the guy.

[vijer]

Sorry to say, that little shit would not have gotten the gun out of his pants. He would have been punched very hard and perhaps even had an eye or two removed.

[GoodWesternGuy]

I don't claim to be a "bad ass", but with my background and training, that video would have had a much different ending. I counted at least 4 places where I could have easily taken that piece of Thai crap

Right. You're at, like, the wizard level or something, in that video game, right? Wouldn't even need to put down that diet coke in your left hand, you'd just push the red button on the joystick with your other hand. Bang bang bang, swish wosh kabang, and he'd be like, dead and stuff, and you'd enter the next level.

Top score: Just1Voice.

You took the words right out of my mouth. It is so easy to be an armchair hero. I wonder if you have ever had a gun stuck in your face? I have many years ago. I broke the guys wrist arm and jaw but only out of a pure gut reaction. And then it took me 20 years to get over the nightmares. As for background and training I had 17 years of it. But when it came down to it it was pure luck and not bravery or ability on my part. It is so easy to 'count four places' when you are NOT the one thinking "Am I going to die here?"

[QualityTouristNumberOne]

where's Victor Marx when you need him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWP3vZcKUvo

and yes I totally would attempt to disarm someone but ONLY if they had me on my knees and were preparing to shoot,

I'm fully prepared for a shit storm of the usual crowd calling me a dead man,"have a go hero",cowboy etc,

but because I'm a self defense Student AND Instructor,and also shoot,I'm pretty sure that video would have ended in a dead Thai tough guy if I'd been in that poor Russian guy's shoes.

And quite possibly a life sentence in prison after you murdered the guy.

how would it be Murder pray tell?(I'm just talking about based off the video here,not the possible facts revealed after my post(i.e. that is was supposedly a replica gun etc)

if somebody sticks a gun in my face,tells me to get on my knees in execution pose and I kill him,how is that murder,REGARDLESS of any facts about the gun being found out AFTER the fact.

also,if I HAD suspected it to be a replica firearm,I would not have went for a killing blow,

but would still have beaten the guy to bits,I am completely unapologetic about it,

but even with the notoriously unreliable Thai "injustice" system vis a vis "self defense"(take that poor kid who disarmed and accidentally killed his knife attacker a few months ago as an example)I really can't see how killing in self defense a gun wielding attacker can be considered Murder,

I'm not metaphorically shouting you down here by the way Baboon,I'm genuinely interested in your opinion and reply.

I've lived in Thailand since 2006 by the way and ironically the only trouble I've been in was when an English lad who was new to the Country and hadn't quite grasped that it wasn't necessary to fight over ladies tried to stab me(in the back,kidney area) and wound up with life threatening injuries(I didn't stab him btw,just disarmed him and in the struggle he struck his head quite hard off one of those unnecessarily dangerous electric junction boxes that we all know and love)...

I ended up in a Police box with 2 young BiB's who thought they'd struck gold,but my GF ran home and ran back to the box with the business card of my Thai friend(I met him on a military shooting range in BKK and we hit it off and are still good friends)who happens to be a (quite)higher ranking officer,

they called his number and I overheard a very "Jai Rawn" dressing down over the phone,

the 2 boys then looked very sick as face,greed and possible job loss clashed in their minds,I disarmed the situation with a small,discreet addition to the "tea fund" and apology to them(you have to know how to play the game here!) and it was smiles all round,and more business cards to add to the "Emergency Drawer",

I'm not telling this story to show off by the way,just to emphasise that I'm not a cowboy like some farangs who give us all a bad name,I'm just comfortable defending myself and although I have a healthy contempt respect for the Thai "gang up on Farang" mentality,I personally have found it to be overblown and do not live my life in fear no matter how much doom is proclaimed.

[chaiyaphumlove]

All I saw was a guy mad that his "sister" wife didn't pick a richer, older mark to sting.

[PoodMaiDai]

Without the gun he would've been nowhere near as tough. He probably had to get it first that's why it took so long to take action.

He would have never come to the door without a weapon of some kind or several of his buddies. Thais are too big of cowards to do something solo and without a weapon.

[rose496900]

Why is it so coincident that the camrecorder was set straight to the door but the Thai guy was slapping quite real.? Poor russian.

[rosst]

It may deter Russian tourists but not the ones we would like to leave our beautiful country.

[wellred]

That video clip looks like it was all set up. Who just happens to have a camera at the ready perfectly aimed at the door. Possible that he expected this and wanted the video evidence.

I think the same. I guess this is the most powerful way to fight against people with power complex.

Then again, he took an big risk unless he knew before that the gun was indeed an replica.

It is all a setup, from both sides. The Russians reactions don't seem real, and the Thai guys anger also seems not real, looks much more like a bad actor.

But why?

And your an expert on human reactions when faced with violence based on?

No one here has any evidence that this was a set up so please all stop trying to think you are in an episode of criminal minds.

[khunsiam]

That video clip looks like it was all set up. Who just happens to have a camera at the ready perfectly aimed at the door. Possible that he expected this and wanted the video evidence.

I think the same. I guess this is the most powerful way to fight against people with power complex.

Then again, he took an big risk unless he knew before that the gun was indeed an replica.

It is all a setup, from both sides. The Russians reactions don't seem real, and the Thai guys anger also seems not real, looks much more like a bad actor.

But why?

It's not a setup and the reaction isn't that strange.

[I Like Thai]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

[kannot]

That video clip looks like it was all set up. Who just happens to have a camera at the ready perfectly aimed at the door. Possible that he expected this and wanted the video evidence.

And well done to him as we all know how shi*e the law is here.

[jacko45k]

Rape victims and minors get their faces plastered on the news. An adult male with a gun making a death threat get's his face blurred.

If it's going to court, they probably cannot name or show the suspect in case it prejudices the court proceedings - come on people, watch some LA Law or something!!

Are you serious....... people get paraded in-front of the cameras daily after being caught. There is often a nicely staged press conference with the BIB all patting themselves on the back. Thailand does things its own way. They already got the guy's face on camera.

The Russian does seem overly quiet, and the Thai lets the gun drop too often to be serious, and after the first pull of the trigger showed, the chamber is empty, he needs to charge it doesn't he? (I am not 100% sure ).

I can imagine the guy setting up a camera after a few prior 'visits'.....

Locking the door... hotel doors lock automatically don't they, and always need a key from the outside,or someone inside to open them.

The slaps looked real enough.

[kannot]

If a Russian or a Martian moved into an apartment where I now live now in Abuja, and after a few weeks took my wife to obudu ranch for weekend romp festival. I might just not e slapping him around and would not be responsible for my actions.

Don't mess with a man's woman in his face.

Wow you seem so mature, of course your Wife potentially going with another man tells us "nothing" about your Wife eh

Take s two to Tango, you must trust her so much.

[kannot]

I found it interesting when the police said the fake gun made it a joke.

Why wasn't it a joke a few weeks ago when that idiot teacher gave a bank teller a written note saying he had a gun and knife. They refused bail because it was a violent crime because the teller really thought he might had a gun and knife.

Must be that Thainess thing again. Thai has fake gun, so it is a joke.

Farang has a piece of paper so it is a violent crime. Go figure.

You can get a nasty paper cut from paper you know, I expect the Farang planned to slash the teller at the bank to death etc etc.

[Andre0720]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

Looks like you are saying loud and clear that you are Thai.

Otherwise, one would wonder where you take your logic from..

Looks more to me like a married thai woman messed with a farang...and we would all know why...

Edited June 19, 2013 by Andre0720

[kannot]

Why did he set up video equipment before opening the door? He must have known something was up. And he is way too calm.

He should have taken the 10,000 Baht and blamed the girl, she was the one fooling around.

For once i gotta agree with you.

Drives me nuts how guys become protective of their girlfriends when they hit up other guys. Just slap the hoe and dump her. How is it the guy's fault? As long as the woman gives signs that she wants to be seduced(even if married) it becomes fair play.

I think the mods will tell you advocating violence to a woman is not allowed on TV

Fine to hit a man however................go figure!!!

[meatboy]

its about time the printers of thai two-way dictionary's changed,pee-chai and norng-chai

to POO-A then incidents like this doesnt happen.

[kannot]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

Looks like you are saying loud and clear that you are Thai.

Otherwise, one would wonder where you take your logic from..

Looks more to me like a married thai woman messed with a farang...and we would all know why...

Thai logic?? like Thai water which can run uphill in waste pipes, and Thai electric which doesn't need an earth you mean?

[kannot]

I don't claim to be a "bad ass", but with my background and training, that video would have had a much different ending. I counted at least 4 places where I could have easily taken that piece of Thai crap

Right. You're at, like, the wizard level or something, in that video game, right? Wouldn't even need to put down that diet coke in your left hand, you'd just push the red button on the joystick with your other hand. Bang bang bang, swish wosh kabang, and he'd be like, dead and stuff, and you'd enter the next level.

Top score: Just1Voice.

The Thing is when your trained on how to fight and protect yourself you do notice these things.

That’s why those that are trained, protect those who are not..

One reason my trainer instructor always told me to treat everyone as if they were the highest trained possible threat is because you never know who you are messing with.

When you put your guard down that’s when those that do think of these things take their opportunity and strike.

His Thoughts were not those of video game fantasy but those of reality.

If someone has a gun and is threatening me I do not know what their final decision on my life will be, so I will act with what my training has taught me to survive.

I did think your post was funny so l and did like it... I just thought I would say this because I had some of the same thoughts as 1voice

I've trained many years in Martial Arts also and I HAVE been in this situation once,it was in Jakarta with a corrupt policeman and his friends and the gun was no fake!You do as your told and take a few slaps,knowing that you will escape with your life.Nothing more,nothing less!

Anyone who says any different is just talking out of his ass!

Yes but this is about "Marital" arts not martial arts

[kannot]

I am not saying it was fake or not, but I do think the Russian's lack of reaction seems unnatural.

One could say he totally froze up of course and that his reactions were in line with this behavior. On the other hand, he does not even flinch, when the guy was slapping him. Even if one was being submissive and scared to death, one might cower at such blows, or one turn the head away slightly when being struck. or maybe raise your hands to protect your face, when someone is swinging at you. It is human instinct to flinch at least a little bit. And when I say raise the hands, I mean in a defensive manner to protect the face. Who knows, the guy could have hit him with the pistol or fist and really knocked him out. One would think it would be normal to flinch or turn one's head away or raise one's hands. That is human instinct to do so.

So, yes, one could say he froze up, but I found it odd that he did not flinch at all. That took a lot of conscious thought in my mind, for him to override natural human instinct to flinch.

Also, he did not even speak. When being asked ok, ok? Wonder why he did not nod in agreement, or say ok, to help defuse the situation a bit. I would say staying silent made the guy get more angry.

If one were not going to get angry or fight back, then I think the other natural response would be to acquiesce, say ok or nod in agreement, maybe even say I did not know, or I am sorry, or it wont happen again, or some words to try and defuse or de-escalate the anger. I guess again, one could use the froze up explanation and say he could not move and could not speak a word. But, again, it did not appear to me to be the most natural behavior in that situation. And took more conscious thought and decision to not speak, rather than to nod or say ok.

Not saying it was fake or real, just stating an observation that some behavior seemed unnatural and took more conscious thought and decision to not talk and not flinch and override more basic human instinct to at least flinch. However, there are always exceptions to nature and not everyone's behavior follows the norm.

The Russian looked drunk to me.

[balo]

This is not a fake video if you understand the behaviour of the russian guy .

He was prepared for the Thai guy to come back the second time so he started his webcam before opening the door.

But since the Russian looked very calm it looks like fake , or a scene from a movie . But I can assure you , this was real.

This russian dude probably been in tough situations before.....

But it gets a bit funny after a while...

You know You know ? Dat my wife!!!

Edited June 19, 2013 by balo

[Payboy]

Why even approach the guy, she is the one in the wrong!

The Thai man provided the answer to that question:

"This is Thailand".

No country for big men.

[Andre0720]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

Looks like you are saying loud and clear that you are Thai.

Otherwise, one would wonder where you take your logic from..

Looks more to me like a married thai woman messed with a farang...and we would all know why...

Thai logic?? like Thai water which can run uphill in waste pipes, and Thai electric which doesn't need an earth you mean?

Yup,

you got that right....

[I Like Thai]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

Looks like you are saying loud and clear that you are Thai.

Otherwise, one would wonder where you take your logic from..

Looks more to me like a married thai woman messed with a farang...and we would all know why...

I'm a white European with blue eyes and brown hair.

[Goshawk]

who benefits from this mysterious vid? worldwide mainstream, even sub-mainstream, news (RT etc..) are currently ignoring it...

the original vid on YT is currently on 26k views after what.. 24hrs? I'd call that viral already, & it will probably exponentially soar... Now, i notice it hasn't been monetized on that platform (conservative estimate on 26k views would be around 3000 baht made) so we can rule out that obvious line for any possible profit plan.

However, there's more than one way to skin a cat... vast amounts of traffic driven to a linked source website(s) which is laden with CPC ads could be something to 'ermm.. ponder over.

just sayin'....

(and no, i don't think the vid is 'fake'.. but it certainly has a strangeness about it)

[stevenl]

That video clip looks like it was all set up. Who just happens to have a camera at the ready perfectly aimed at the door. Possible that he expected this and wanted the video evidence.

I think the same. I guess this is the most powerful way to fight against people with power complex.

Then again, he took an big risk unless he knew before that the gun was indeed an replica.

It is all a setup, from both sides. The Russians reactions don't seem real, and the Thai guys anger also seems not real, looks much more like a bad actor.

But why?

And your an expert on human reactions when faced with violence based on?

No one here has any evidence that this was a set up so please all stop trying to think you are in an episode of criminal minds.

Agree, neither has anyone any evidence it is real.

[Andre0720]

He messed about with another mans wife. He got what he deserved and was lucky that he didn't get worse.

I doubt this will even go to court, for one it's unlikely that the Russian will return for the proceedings. Also I think that the Thai judicial system will look more favourably on a man defending his honour, where he didn't cause any physical injury to the Russian who disrespected him.

Looks like you are saying loud and clear that you are Thai.

Otherwise, one would wonder where you take your logic from..

Looks more to me like a married thai woman messed with a farang...and we would all know why...

I'm a white European with blue eyes and brown hair.

Well then, the "otherwise" would apply...