Thai teens arrested for battery after slapping elderly foreigner on the head with shoe

[yingyo]

'Don't hit old foreigners on the head with a shoe if front of people son. It makes Thailand look bad and might embarrass yourself if caught.'

[arminbkk]

The question begs...what would YOU do if it happened to you?

Me, I would be too lazy to run after him.

However, I never strawl along unaware of my surroundings, so it would likely not happen to me.

Some posters respond "it is just a prank, let's all have a laugh and move on":

1. Regardless of where I am, I would not appreciate it.

2. This is Thailand, Thais would not consider this a prank, you can joke that someone is fat and ugly, but

you cannot touch their head with your foot/shoe.

Try this with any Thai, even a friend, and you will have a problem.

[MMarlow]

Is that man seriously only 58?

Does it make any difference to the report or did you just want to make an ignorant, offensive remark?

Like your comment of how every thai lacks conciousness? Double standards at its finest. Just gtfo.

Read my comment again, then you can gtfo. I made no reference to Thais lacking consciousness, I said that it was impossible to have emotions unconsciously, just a little obtuse humour lost on those unable to understand or with no sense of humour.

[MMarlow]

The Russians are farangs too. But the Thai local menfolk (including the police) don't mess with them either. They (Russians) also bring their own women to Thailand. For the most part, the Russians have absolutely nothing to do with Thai women, except maybe to hire them as daytime housekeepers and babysitters. Maybe the Russians know something that the rest of us don't know. CAPICHE?

Does anyone know what this post is about?

[MMarlow]

207 posts (yes 208 with mine), this is "overreacting".

This is a NON-event. Does not deserve any line anywhere.

Kid stupidity is like ederly touchiness, it's universal and pointless.

So why did you post?

[KRaymond]

The Russians are farangs too. But the Thai local menfolk (including the police) don't mess with them either. They (Russians) also bring their own women to Thailand. For the most part, the Russians have absolutely nothing to do with Thai women, except maybe to hire them as daytime housekeepers and babysitters. Maybe the Russians know something that the rest of us don't know. CAPICHE?

Does anyone know what this post is about?

rofl

[Jingthing]

As a violent act, this was indeed minor.

As an act of disrespect within the Thai culture, this was indeed major.

I found it interesting to learn that in New York state a hate crime under the law (which amplifies the severity of any charges) is determined on whether the victim was SELECTED based on race, religion, orientation, etc.

There is strong circumstantial evidence this victim was selected based on being not-Thai but it couldn't really be proven and there are no hate crime laws in Thailand.

That said, anyone who seriously thinks there was no racial aspect to this incident is not too awake.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Jingthing

[Konstantine]

#Konstantine#

I don't have or need any supporters and don't need or am looking for anyone to agree with me, these are my views

I have seen the exact same incident happen here myself so don't need any Thai to back me up

So you have decided that this was a racist attack without watching the video just because the people have different colour skin? Haha that is your best yet

Admit to defeat on what exactly? I am not starting a war here, I am expressing my views, nothing more

"Who's ordering me to respect the country? Well, I don't keep a list of their names and addresses" Haha at least have some evidence to back your claim that we are "ordered" to respect the country otherwise you just make yourself look a fool

Also at least look at the video before posting your views, by not doing so you are making yourself look even more of a fool

"I have seen the exact same incident happen here myself so don't need any Thai to back me up"

"Haha at least have some evidence to back your claim that we are "ordered" to respect the country otherwise you just make yourself look a fool".

And you can provide evidence to back your claim to have seen the "exact same incident happen"? Or should we just take your word for for it?

"I am not starting a war here, I am expressing my views, nothing more".

Really? So why use insulting language and swearing towards me for expressing my views? i.e. "Get over yourself", "Give your head a wobble", "you are spouting is exactly that, total <deleted>" and calling me a "fool" for not providing you with evidence? Certainly sounds like fighting talk to me.

And, yes, I have now watched the video, and it just reinforces my view of the incident.

I wish I could help you with directions to anger-managment classes in your area, but alas I don't have.

[Wombat6]

The 500 baht fine is pathetic, and almost shows just as much disrespect to the foreigner as the incident itself.

The kudos these little yobbos will get from their peers will be huge, and I can genuinely see a wave of copycats happening.

500 baht fine plus an order to pick up 100 binbags of rubbish from waterways or roadsides. We will see how clever they are with all their mates sniggering at them while collecting rubbish.

[horsewell]

In Thailand's search for high end tourists they should have high end penalties for any crimes, however minor, against any foreigners. That being said, I assume that most tourists never receive any acts of physical violence against them and probably only have see: taxi scams, double pricing and the like.

[yingyo]

Now publicly give him an extra deep Wai to show how nice us Thai people are.

[metisdead]

A flame post has been removed as well as a reply. Keep it civil or posting suspensions will follow.

[Berkshire]

Not that it excuses this stupid act but....HOW many of US never did anything REALLY DUMB when we were 16?

Being young and DUMB is certainly not limited to only Thai kids.

Agree. It was a stupid gesture by the kid. And if he had done it to me, I would have been pretty annoyed. Not sure how I would have reacted, but I would hope that I didn't overreact.

Some of you guys posting on this thread need to get a grip. This is the first incident of this type that I've seen in Thailand, but certainly, there are bored kids all over the world who do stupid things. So this was an isolated incident of what some bored kids do in Thailand. Now this is what some bored kids do in the US: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10256057/US-teenagers-shot-Australian-baseball-player-because-they-were-bored.html

Surely you can see that tapping someone on the head with a shoe pales in comparison.

[KRaymond]

Seriously, I wonder what range of age is commenting on this topic. Why are people arguing about who did that and who didn't do that. It's just like small kids fighting you poked me first no you poked me first.

Why is it so hard to just accept that those who think this as acceptable or bunch of youngsters doing prank is funny,,,don't have enough common sense or moral to understand that even touching someone's head with the back of dirty flip flop is rude. I bet these guy's won't even care if I slap their mom's head with my shoes. I'll just say it was a prank, WITH MY FACE HIDDEN and pay you 500 baht for your humiliation and my disrespect.

No point in arguing with bunch of idi0ts thinking flip flop in the face is funny.

[happysanook]

The 500 baht fine is pathetic, and almost shows just as much disrespect to the foreigner as the incident itself.

The kudos these little yobbos will get from their peers will be huge, and I can genuinely see a wave of copycats happening.

B500 is a significant amount when you consider that is more than one days wages, Western equivalent to B5000, or US $140. Most Thai parents will not take that lightly.

$140 is a lot then you think? For a racially motivated, unprovoked slap on the head with a shoe?

500 baht in Thailand, or $140 in the West. It's nothing. IMO, should have been a 2000 baht fine + 2000 baht to the foreigner.

500 baht is virtually the same as a ticket you'd get for riding without a helmet.

Edited October 22, 2013 by happysanook

[FarangKino]

You forgot to tell me in your last post who is "ordering" you to respect the country?

Read the forum rules for Thaivisa for a start!

[dao16]

Well, that is crappy, but I would imagine that many of us who were once young men can think of some stupid things we did in our teens. I have a decent sized list to choose from, and I wasn't a particularly crazy teen. Hopefully they will learn from this and avoid really big problems in the future, like most people do.

[Jingthing]

Well, that is crappy, but I would imagine that many of us who were once young men can think of some stupid things we did in our teens. I have a decent sized list to choose from, and I wasn't a particularly crazy teen. Hopefully they will learn from this and avoid really big problems in the future, like most people do.

I agree many of us did crazy things as teens. I certainly did. But the difference here is the choice of targets -- a white man.

[yingyo]

Well, that is crappy, but I would imagine that many of us who were once young men can think of some stupid things we did in our teens. I have a decent sized list to choose from, and I wasn't a particularly crazy teen. Hopefully they will learn from this and avoid really big problems in the future, like most people do.

I agree many of us did crazy things as teens. I certainly did. But the difference here is the choice of targets -- a white man.

Yes, how dare they. How dare WE suffer from juvenile racist pranks. Don't they know that we developed and run the World.

[Jingthing]

Well, that is crappy, but I would imagine that many of us who were once young men can think of some stupid things we did in our teens. I have a decent sized list to choose from, and I wasn't a particularly crazy teen. Hopefully they will learn from this and avoid really big problems in the future, like most people do.

I agree many of us did crazy things as teens. I certainly did. But the difference here is the choice of targets -- a white man.

Yes, how dare they. How dare WE suffer from juvenile racist pranks. Don't they know that we developed and run the World.

I don't get your point. Are you trying to justify racially motivating hate crimes?

[yingyo]

The 500 baht fine is pathetic, and almost shows just as much disrespect to the foreigner as the incident itself.

The kudos these little yobbos will get from their peers will be huge, and I can genuinely see a wave of copycats happening.

B500 is a significant amount when you consider that is more than one days wages, Western equivalent to B5000, or US $140. Most Thai parents will not take that lightly.

$140 is a lot then you think? For a racially motivated, unprovoked slap on the head with a shoe?

500 baht in Thailand, or $140 in the West. It's nothing. IMO, should have been a 2000 baht fine + 2000 baht to the foreigner.

500 baht is virtually the same as a ticket you'd get for riding without a helmet.

Yes, he should have demanded some compensation during the circus apology and then stood up and declared that he is donating it to a Thai Buddhist temple as he is Buddhist and likes to help Thai people.

[darrendsd]

You forgot to tell me in your last post who is "ordering" you to respect the country?

Read the forum rules for Thaivisa for a start!

Thai Visa is a Farang owned website moderated by Farangs,

These rules apply to Thais and Farangs alike, we as Farangs are not "ordered" to respect the country, no official stands at Airport arrivals handing out a list of rules we must follow, we are simply expected to show respect as we would in any other country including our own

All countries have rules, you are not ordered to follow them, you know the rules and and are expected to follow them and you know the punishments if you don't

Edited October 22, 2013 by darrendsd

[darrendsd]

#Konstantine#

My last post got removed so I will keep this civil

My point is that you made your judgement that this was a racist attack without reviewing all the evidence

If you had watched the video first and come to that conclusion then I would have respected your opinion, the fact that you didn't watch the video even when I pointed out to you that it was on this thread and then still continued to insist it was a racist attack meant that your opinion was irrelevant as you clearly based it on what other posters had said without looking at all the evidence yourself

[dao16]

Well, that is crappy, but I would imagine that many of us who were once young men can think of some stupid things we did in our teens. I have a decent sized list to choose from, and I wasn't a particularly crazy teen. Hopefully they will learn from this and avoid really big problems in the future, like most people do.

I agree many of us did crazy things as teens. I certainly did. But the difference here is the choice of targets -- a white man.

Well, I would think that their choice of target says many things....

1. They probably do have some silly notions of who the falang tourists are...totally agree on that.

2. However, I think they were also (in a perverse way) smart enough not to try this prank out on a Thai......there would be HELL to pay. As a typical faalang, I would be just as upset about a hat smacked against my head as I would about a shoe. But for Thais...the shoe is much worse.

Anyway, I just think young guys do stupid crap and these Thai kids fit the pattern.

[yingyo]

Actually I would have gotten up at the police meeting/conference and declared my love for Thailand and the Thai people, and that the local homeless shelter needs a full day of cleaning and helping out at, unfortunately as an Alien I cannot do it without a valid Work Permit so I would appreciate if these two young men would do the work on my behalf, and of course all the local media are invited to watch them show their love for the Thai people that are less fortunate than them.

To really get revenge, you need to it in a clever way.

Edited October 22, 2013 by yingyo

[spidermike007]

Why arrest them, when all you have to punish them is a 500 baht fine? All a fine like that does it make the world aware of how impotent your legal system is. Was that the intent? How silly. Those tiny, half men punks probably targeted an older guy, as they were scared or death of someone fighting back. Hope their parents do the right thing and beat the living crap out of them. Maybe their neighbors can pitch in too, and tar and feather them while they are at it. Why such disregard for others?

[yingyo]

Why arrest them, when all you have to punish them is a 500 baht fine? All a fine like that does it make the world aware of how impotent your legal system is.

Harmlessly (in a physical way) tapping a guy on the head with a soft cloth slipper. Hardly GBH is it.

Harmlessly tap a guy on the head with some cloth back home and see what the police think of it. so what, it's only a piece of cloth.

The damage is of course cultural, no physical harm done, just disrespect. As it was it's only a Farang that was disrespected, it's only worth a token minimum fine, if it was them hitting some metal molded into the shape of a Buddha, or perhaps the unmentionable, then it would be a severe beating by all and sundry, possibly to death without sympathy.

As it is, their disrespect was only worth a minimum token fine because they were forced to fine them due to public knowledge of the incidence.

Don't ever forget your place here in beautiful, calm, Buddhist Thailand.

Edited October 22, 2013 by yingyo

[HaleySabai]

portraying Thailand as something other than the beautiful, Zen Buddhist nation that Thailand is.

.......

[chooka]

'Don't hit old foreigners on the head with a shoe if front of people son. It makes Thailand look bad and might embarrass yourself if caught.'

Yep lure them into an alley have 10 of your mates kick the <deleted> out of him.

[ableguy]

Is that man seriously only 58?

Waistline !!!