Police Officer Denies Slapping Russian Tourist
By Khaosod Online

PATTAYA: -- A police officer in Pattaya has denied that he had slapped a Russian tourist as depicted in a video which has gone viral on the Internet last week.

The video showed a Caucasian woman arguing with the police officer, barring two Thai men from towing away her motorcycle as ordered by the officer. She then used her mobile phone to record the incident, and the video showed the officer attacking the woman before walking away.

Pol.Col. Suwan Chiawnawinthawat, Chief of Pattaya Police Station, told our correspondent that he has ordered an investigation commission to probe the matter.

He vowed to punish the office in the most severe manner possible if he had been found guilty, as the incident has harmed the image of Pattaya tourism industry.

However, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Nopkrit Phonwattanathanakit identified himself to Khaosod as the office seen in the video, and denied that he did not slap the Russian tourist.

The 40 year old traffic police officer claimed he stopped the Russian woman and her Russian boyfriend after they allegedly drove their motorcycle in a wrong direction of the road. Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit also said he realised that the man was driving without a driver license.

The officer then reportedly handed a ticket to the man and advised him to pay for the ticket at the police station, and kept their motorcycle key with him as he continued to patrol the area. The Russian woman waited for her boyfriend at the motorcycle, he added.

When Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit returned, he said, he saw the Russian woman attempting to move the vehicle away from where he left her, and he called a vehicle towing company to confiscate the motorcycle, because he feared it might be "lost".

The Russian tourist became upset and tried to take a picture of the police officer, leaving him no choice but to wave his hand to swipe the phone away, Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit insisted.

"I have never touched her," Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit said, "I would never harm women like that, because they are the gender of my mother".

He also called on the media to report the incident with fairness.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE9EVTRNRGc1TlE9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-01-02

I would never harm women like that, because they are the gender of my mother".

Not so sure about that.

I would never harm women like that, because they are the gender of my mother".

Not so sure about that.

What - are you doubting his mother was a female or that he would hit a woman?

I love it when they get caught out on video ..... Oh how the times they are a changing .......

leaving him no choice but to wave his hand to swipe the phone away, Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit insisted.

Shoulda used the other hand to swipe the CCTV away as well.

Definitely slapped her before walking off but his commanders will find it differently after all he wasn't hitting a dog, only a farang.

I thought thumping women was a national pastime or Thai blokes?

Look guys it is positive to note that he obviously had a biology lesson at school, attended and even listened!

Sorry mate.....That was a full on slap and you need to lose your job!

I sure hope he gets what he has coming.....COWARD!

on the vid it looks like the woman hit him on the shoulder just before.

anyway... a stupid people's problem, like 90% of the time.

Like saying I would never harm men like that, because they are the gender of my father. Police here are a joke.

Definitely slapped her before walking off but his commanders will find it differently after all he wasn't hitting a dog, only a farang.

The monkey in Dharma Monkey refers to a concept that I’ve heard a few Buddhist monks describe as Monkey Mind.

"Consciousness,willful and capricious as a monkey, darts from thought to thought,resisting all attempts at control."

Looks like she was riling him up, but he needs to be calm. I think she hit him first. If so, he should have cuffed her for assault of a police officer and taken her in, not hit her back.

Looked like a slap to me, but maybe he was swatting at a particularly large mosquito, protecting the foreigners from the dangers of malaria, good public service.

If that is the sort of tourists in Pattaya these days- you can keep it. We all know what the BIB are like, as do most locals, avoid them at all costs is the most sensible option- but some people are magnets for problems, Som Nam Na comes to mind.

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Not only did he SLAP her he went after her to do it. The swiping the phone away thing as a reflex is total BS.

He also called on the media to report the incident with fairness.

"I'm Thai, I never do wrong, please tell everyone that"

Lets see how long it takes for this story (like all the rest) to be brushed under the carpet!

However, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Nopkrit Phonwattanathanakit identified himself to Khaosod as the office seen in the video, and denied that he did not slap the Russian tourist.

...sooooo...he did slap her then.

"and denied that he did not slap the Russian tourist."

double negative, so he admitted it ...

Sorry mate.....That was a full on slap and you need to lose your job!

I sure hope he gets what he has coming.....COWARD!

I have watched it four times. He slapped her quite hard on the left side of her face, sufficient to move her head to her right. Why would he simply rush away if he had done nothing wrong?

He is a bullying and lying scumbag and should be dealt with appropriately; this is just one example of what we're talking about when suggesting that this police force needs rebuilding from top to bottom...!!

He slapped her face hard in temper. Very clear to see his reaction as he walked away.

Whatever the provocation he police officer cannot act in this way. He could, and possibly, should have arrested her, but slapping and then storming off.

As usual, it will all be dealt with by a committee and go nowhere. Forgotten in a few days.

He admits to hitting her when he says he hit her camera away. It is not ilegal for her to photograph him. It is ilegal for him to hit her or her camera.

Video does not lie

Looks pretty damning if you ask me

What a Coward

Looks like paid desk duty is in his future

Lets see how long it takes for this story (like all the rest) to be brushed under the carpet!

Consider it "brushed" as of now

on the vid it looks like the woman hit him on the shoulder just before.

anyway... a stupid people's problem, like 90% of the time.

I am 100% the woman never hit him because if she had done that the police boy would say that when they interviewed him.

Video shows that he did slap the lady so is denying part of Thai culture? I always read of someone denying this denying that huh

"However, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Nopkrit Phonwattanathanakit identified himself to Khaosod as the office seen in the video, and denied that he did not slap the Russian tourist."

What a nutcase. Did he really admit or is it mistranslation?

If he had slspped my wife.....he would have to pick his arse off the ground

However, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Nopkrit Phonwattanathanakit identified himself to Khaosod as the office seen in the video, and denied that he did not slap the Russian tourist.

That is what I thought. He denied that he did not slap her; so he slapped her.