Drunken Russian goes on temple smashing rampage in Phuket, tries to hot-wire truck

[webfact]

Drunken Russian goes on temple smashing rampage in Phuket, tries to hot-wire truck
Eakkapop Thongtub


Oleg Fomenko was arrested.

PHUKET: -- Russian man Oleg Fomenko was left feeling rather embarrassed after he went on a drunken escapade early on Wednesday morning – smashing an abbot statue at Wat Karon and using a crowbar to smash the window of a truck he tried to steal.

Police say just after midnight on Tuesday (October 22) they received a report that someone had gone to Wat Karon and smashed a statue there. The person had then smashed a truck window and tried to hot-wire it to steal. The person was unsuccessful and ran away.

Police checked the CCTV camera footage from the temple and, after asking around, identified Mr Fomenko, a Russian visitor, as the culprit.

Police found him staying at a house in Soi Patak 18 in Karon, and when he came out of the house he was wearing the same clothing as in the camera footage.

When police questioned him, Mr Fomenko accepted it was him on the CCTV footage, and said he was rather ashamed about the previous night’s events – which he put down to being excessively drunk.

He was arrested and charged with attempted theft and damaging property.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/drunken-russian-goes-on-temple-smashing-rampage-in-phuket-tries-to-hot-wire-truck-42546.php


-- Phuket News 2013-10-25

[Lancelot]

I doubt the Ruskie realized how offensive his actions were. I recall that a Thai was beat to death for smashing a figure at the Erawan Shrine, Bangkok.

There are some lines that you just don't cross here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erawan_Shrine

[iSabai]

Another quality tourist endearing farangs to the Thai people. Sickening...

[Shurup]

What an idiot, hope he can get out of the country alive...

[hanno]

Oh boy!!! Why couldn't he have picked a fight with a real person? Perhaps another Russian quality tourist?

[Songhua]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

[JoeThePoster]

he was rather ashamed about the previous nights events which he put down to being excessively drunk

Ashamed and admitting the cause, what a novel concept!

[joefromdc]

I recall that a Thai was beat to death for smashing a figure at the Erawan Shrine, Bangkok.

I hear ya, mate. But the Russian smashed an abbot figure, the guy at Erawan smashed The Figure, the main part of the shrine. I'm not sure these are equal in stature. BTW, not condoning the Thai guy getting beaten to death. Just suggesting smashing an abbot figure isn't the same as basically destroying the whole shrine.

[soi41]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

Or they should combine the entry-fee with an IQ-test!!

Those idiots have the money, but clearly not the brains!

What a disgrace!!

[NamKangMan]

The tuk-tuks are that expensive on Phuket that the tourists are now stealing cars?

I wonder what ticked this guy off?

[KarenBravo]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

Really?

You think that US$17 is going to make the difference between coming to Thailand, or not?

Think you could be kinda wrong.

[transam]

The ''Creme de la Creme'' of farangland. I dare not say any more.

[Songhua]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

Really?

You think that US$17 is going to make the difference between coming to Thailand, or not?

Think you could be kinda wrong.

Tongue in cheek KB.

There seems to be a never-ending queue of them.

[tonneke breda]

The coppers might be even right, there is no Russian Mafia in Phuket, only looney tunes

[kurnell]

Sounds like he got caught in front of the only CCTV camera in Thailand that works

[theoldgit]

Offensive post and reply removed.

[Suradit69]

he was rather ashamed about the previous nights events which he put down to being excessively drunk

Ashamed and admitting the cause, what a novel concept!

"which he put down to being excessively drunk"

When it comes to displays of irrefutable logic, he's not alone.

[Torrens54]

Jail him here, fine him and if he is still alive after he gets out of jail, send him home where we hope VLAD will have his old KGB mates charge the clown with Hooliganism, which I understand carries a 7 year term.

[webfact]

Drunk Russian topples statue of Phuket abbot, bungles lorry theft
Phuket Gazette


I DID WHAT? Oleg Fomenko said he drank a lot of beer Tuesday night and that he didn’t remember any of his antics. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A Russian tourist has blamed overindulgence in alcohol for a spree in which he pushed over a statue honoring a temple abbot in Karon late Tuesday night.

Oleg Fomenko, 31, was arrested at 9pm and taken to Karon Police Station for questioning on Thursday night after officers identified him through CCTV footage at Wat Karon (map here).

The video showed a man dressed in black pushing over a statue of Luang Por Kongdet, the resident abbot at Wat Karon, at 12:46am on Wednesday.

On seeing the footage, Mr Fomenko admitted that he was the man captured on screen, but said he could not remember anything about his antics that night.

“He claimed he was drunk and could not control himself, and that he couldn’t remember what he did,” Karon Police Superintendent Weerawat Jantarawichit told the Phuket Gazette.

Police believe Mr Fomenko was also responsible for using a crowbar to smash the window of a six-wheeled truck parked nearby.

“We think he is the same person who attempted to hotwire and steal the truck,” Col Weerawat said.

Officers located Mr Fomenko after scouring the neighborhood for a man matching the description in the video.

“Police questioned people in the area and learned that a man matching the description was believed to be staying in Soi Patak 18,” Col Weerawat said.

Officers moved in and arrested Mr Fomenko after he was spotted.

“Mr Oleg was charged with 'attempted theft at night' and with damaging private property,” Col Weerawat said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Drunk-Russian-topples-statue-of-Phuket-abbot-bungles-lorry-theft-22616.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-10-26

[Andre0720]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

Really?

You think that US$17 is going to make the difference between coming to Thailand, or not?

Think you could be kinda wrong.

Really?

You failed to see the humour in that????

[Alwyn]

The tuk-tuks are that expensive on Phuket that the tourists are now stealing cars?

I wonder what ticked this guy off?

Yeah the costs of tuk-tuks are so expensive on Phuket he went all the way to Pattaya to try to steal a car

[Shot]

Damn, that's an ugly shirt.

[arco27]

maybe instead of the 500 Bath they should have to take classes in behaviour while travelling as a condition to get a visa, I am sure this would stop a lot of louts from all over like Australians, British, Russians and other Eastern Europeans, as well ad Indian and Chinese Tourists from reaching our shores. When I was a kid in the 50's in BKK you never heard of Tourist cooking on wok burners in Hotel rooms or demanding discounts fom tour operatos and you never saw drunken Westerners running round BKK or beach resorts and classy travellers then respected local cutoms and would never dream of damaging a temple. The decline started with over enthusiastic R&R American soldiers from Vietnam and it went downhill with the West getting wealthier and now hit new lows with Eastern Europeans especially Russians and also Indians and Chines having money to travel but not having the faintest idea of how to behave as a visitor

[glanville63]

Obviously on a low budget. Couldn't even buy a shirt that fitted. (read fit if you're American)

[ezzra]

The new 500 baht entry fee will put a stop to this type of tourist.

Kudos... you beat me to the zing.... lol

[AlphMichaels]

Example of the severity of Russian society's problem with alcoholism. Life expectancy of the average Russian male is just about 55 now. The don't even make to pension age. Alcohol related diseases cause as many as 50% of Russian male deaths between ages 15 and 54.

The Russian word for water...., "Voda". Hmmmm. Seems they drink it like water.

[yingyo]

Looks like mafia. I think the BiB will be polite in discussing just who he is and who he is doing business with before deciding whether it will be the the token 500b fine, beaten with clubs, or tied to a chair with a car battery attached to the gonnads.

[laurentbkk]

its always funny to see how the Russian bashing is working well here .... it seems than no Brits , no Aussies never drink or get drunk in Thailand .... LOL I can tell you , have seen so many drunken English in pattaya or phuket having the same kind of attitude . Today is one russian , tomorrow will be someone else .... nothing new in that !

[Garry]

I recall that a Thai was beat to death for smashing a figure at the Erawan Shrine, Bangkok.

 

I hear ya, mate. But the Russian smashed an abbot figure, the guy at Erawan smashed The Figure, the main part of the shrine. I'm not sure these are equal in stature. BTW, not condoning the Thai guy getting beaten to death. Just suggesting smashing an abbot figure isn't the same as basically destroying the whole shrine.

True but bad timing, considering that Thailand's Supreme Patriarch had just redently passed away, so a lot of thais will be more sensitive to this stupidity carried out on any religious symbol.

[Blindside]

I really don't believe the 500 Baht is going to make any difference to this type of yobbo. If they deported him and others like him we might (might....) see an improvement.

Imagine going to Russia and trashing a statue outside a Russian Orthodox Church.....