Canadian expat attacked by knife wielding maniac in Bangkok

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Canadian expat attacked by knife wielding maniac in Bangkok

Victim Blake Sibbit fears crazed attacker could walk free

BANGKOK:-- A Canadian expat was forced to flee for his life after a man brandishing a large kitchen knife carried out an unprovoked attack outside a coffee shop in the Ekkamai district of Bangkok.

The terrifying incident took place last Wednesday (July 15) as Bangkok resident Blake Sibbitt was enjoying a coffee with his mother at the Coffee Club in Ekkamai.

Blake, who runs a real estate business, told Thaivisa.com via Facebook about the ordeal which left him in total fear for his life and needing medical treatment at the scene.

“It was completely unprovoked. My mother and I were catching up on the business day (we run a real estate company together), when a Thai guy walked up from the sidewalk, speaking to me in Thai that I didn't understand.

He grabbed my right arm with his left hand (me just curiously looking at him with the "what's happening?"/"I don't understand what you're saying" look) and with his right hand pulled a large kitchen knife out of his back pocket and immediately tried to plunge it into me.

I dodged the first stab by standing up quickly. He pulled back and tried again while at the same time I tried to grab his hand with the knife and caught the blade across my thumb and palm, taking some chunks out of me but not sinking in. He then pulled back and jabbed again as my mom and I ran towards Ekkamai.

Judee, my mother took refuge at the front door of the Coffee Club, I turned up Ekkamai with him still chasing me with the knife in his hand."

Blake went onto explain how he yelled "get away, he has a knife" to a crowd of people waiting at a nearby bus stop.

“The crowd cleared when they saw him. The manager of the Coffee Club yelled at me to come inside. My mom was still standing in front of the door screaming, trying to draw attention.

We both went inside and a bunch of staff held the door closed while the guy with the knife tried to break the door with the knife and push his way in”, Blake added.

Unable to do so, Blake says the attacker walked around to the windows and stabbed at them with the knife. He then saw another foreigner sitting by a window and walked over and punched that window.

The ordeal only ended when a group of motorcycle taxi drivers and security guards apprehended the man, putting him in handcuffs until the police arrived.

The first of the emergency services on the scene were some medics who cleaned and dressed Blake’s injured hand.

Shortly after, officers from Thonglor Police Station arrived and took the attacker into custody.

Blake also went to the police station along with four witnesses: a Thai gentleman and his wife, a member of staff from the Coffee Club and Blake’s mother.

Once at the police station, Blake thought it would be a formality that the crazed knifeman would be charged for carrying out the attack.

Attacker to walk free?

However, after submitting his report to the police, Blake claims that one officer told him “there’s not enough evidence”.

This was despite having four witness reports, the weapon and the attacker in custody.

Blake later managed to obtain CCTV footage (below) of the incident and passed it onto the police the following day. Blake was also told he would need to submit a criminal medical report detailing his injuries.

He then went to a nearby Bangkok hospital to get a tetanus shot and have wound rebandaged.

However, Blake’s quest for justice was further delayed as the hospital allegedly told him that they could only provide him the document he requires on Sunday (July 19) as that is when the doctor who writes the reports will be on duty.

Frustrated, Blake returned to the police station to be told that his attacker was due in court on Friday (July 17) where the police were filing a request for a 6 day holding pending trial, which can be re-filed over and over for upto 30 days.

Blake also revealed that although police were unable to tell him the exact amount, they estimated that his attacker’s bail would be set somewhere in the region of 30,000 THB.

Speaking yesterday (Friday), despite being the victim of an attempted murder, Blake said he had received no further information regarding his case.

Concerned that his attacker may soon be released back onto the streets of Bangkok, Blake understandably wants to raise awareness about his ordeal and told Thaivisa.com that he doesn’t want a potential story “Crazed Knifeman Released Due to Not Enough Evidence” to become a reality.

All images for this story were supplied by Blake Sibbit.

-- 2015-07-18

[slapout]

some people will only stop an assult as they are met with gunsmoke and hot lead.. If they are on some of the real mind alternating drugs it may take a multiple of rounds (4 or 5 ) but placed correctly that should be a real put down. then the bib would probably go after the fellow protecting himself, mother and bystanders' handdy to have a dozen spare clips just to show your not up to taking blaming the unseen / unheard voice no one else heard.

lock the crazed lunitic up in the house for deranged human / animal behavior and place him and others like him right next to the monkey pit at zoos around the country, a diet of peanuts, and water might show the errors of this type of behavior to the general public.

[amerasianex]

Welcome to Thailand... Land of smiles... Had the tabels been turned you would have been held with between 500.000 THB and no bail and charged with attempted murder. A 25 years to life sentence....

[amerasianex]

He really wanted to kill you because thats only 7-10 years whereas attempted is 20 years. And he knows that

[harrycallahan]

Contrast this with the Captain in Phuket.

[Oil Baron]

Not enough evidence then? What do they need, the knife sticking out of his chest? That's crazy! It's clearly a case of premeditated attempted murder. There are quite a few stories like this circulating on the net, were the perp gets off scott free, or albeit with a slap on the wrist.

Like the scummy speedboat driver, that killed two Koreans in Phuket. That boy got two years.

It's a wonder that with the incident happening around Ekamai, that they didn't search Mr Sibbit, to see if he was carrying any drugs on his person. That would have been were the real money is. If he'd been carrying a few pills, they'd have given him twenty years and a massive fine.

[BangkokHank]

By "not enough evidence", I suppose the cops meant evidence in the form of cash.

[tomacht8]

However, after submitting his report to the police, Blake claims that one officer told him “there’s not enough evidence”.

4 witnesses and CCTV recording are not enough?
It is the inability, stupidity or laziness?
This is not good for tourism when foreigners are attacked for no reason with knives.

This attack could also have ended with death.
Hope that the braindead madman end up in jail.
They are a danger to society.

[jinjin]

"Falang" life is shit here in LOS. Beggers life worth more if he's thai.

[bino]

By "not enough evidence", I suppose the cops meant evidence in the form of cash.

Exactly correct. The attacker doesn't look like he has two baht to rub together, so the always magnificent ThongLor cops aren't going to be able to squeeze him for anything. Furthermore, the costs of holding him in their station cells for 6 days would probably strain their already skimmed budget.

[firestar]

Well done to the taxi drivers for subduing him. They always get a lot of stick on TV but this is not the first time I see them do the police job's and hold a guy down.

[firestar]

"Falang" life is shit here in LOS. Beggers life worth more if he's thai.

Awww sorry to hear that petal, maybe you should walk a month in a poor Thai man's shoes, see how well you are treated.

[Slip]

This happened nearly a week ago. That's what happens when you stop using Stickboy.

[Morakot]

Jonathan good reporting. A narrative style is OK, but make sure you keep it summarised.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Morakot

[IamNoone88]

Blake - the police are not here to help you. And neither is the government. You need to come to terms with reality.

[Manbing]

Already the backlash against business meetings in coffee shops begins.

[soalbundy]

I hate it when they do that

[realenglish1]

Without question this attacker is on drugs. Why don't they do a drug test on him

Typical Police procedure NOTHING

[firestar]

"Falang" life is shit here in LOS. Beggers life worth more if he's thai.

Awww sorry to hear that petal, maybe you should walk a month in a poor Thai man's shoes, see how well you are treated.

only a brain dead moron like you could come up with a comment like that, you turd

Is it me you are insulting? A poor Thai stabbed to death is thrown at the back of a pick up with police never bothering showing up at hospital.

Blake's fight is for Farangs AND poor Thais because what really matters here is social standing and money.

But if you want to walk around feeling victimized wahh wahh carry on princess.

Edited July 18, 2015 by firestar

[BlakeBestLife]

Blake - the police are not here to help you. And neither is the government. You need to come to terms with reality.

The Thonglor Police were extremely helpful. And with thanks given to ThaiVisa and other people drawing attention to the story, it's more likely to see a proper result.

Sure, I've been here long enough and seen enough to be jaded with the legal/court system here as well. But with an "all eyes on" effect, the police and courts are more likely to do something.

So avoid treating it like a joke. He didn't randomly walk up to me and punch me. He wasn't drunk and looking for a fight. He left his house with 3 knives with the intent to kill someone. If released, next time (and there will be a next time if he's released, he's homicidal), it could just as easily be anyone here or their family or friends.

This story is a call to action for the police and hopefully they see it and treat it as such.

[manarak]

Get that onto Thai crime Facebook groups asap.

[steven100]

very serious situation to be confronted with ....

I think i'd change coffee shops if I were you.

[soalbundy]

Blake - the police are not here to help you. And neither is the government. You need to come to terms with reality.

The Thonglor Police were extremely helpful. And with thanks given to ThaiVisa and other people drawing attention to the story, it's more likely to see a proper result.

Sure, I've been here long enough and seen enough to be jaded with the legal/court system here as well. But with an "all eyes on" effect, the police and courts are more likely to do something.

So avoid treating it like a joke. He didn't randomly walk up to me and punch me. He wasn't drunk and looking for a fight. He left his house with 3 knives with the intent to kill someone. If released, next time (and there will be a next time if he's released, he's homicidal), it could just as easily be anyone here or their family or friends.

This story is a call to action for the police and hopefully they see it and treat it as such.

Maybe the TAT could help, this incident wont exactly send the required image out to quality tourists especially the police hesitancy to do anything, ask the PM. Probably Burmese, no Thai could do a thing like this

[mikemac]

"Falang" life is shit here in LOS. Beggers life worth more if he's thai.

Awww sorry to hear that petal, maybe you should walk a month in a poor Thai man's shoes, see how well you are treated.

He probably does not even live in LOS and if he does he is crazy if life is that bad for a farang !

[firestar]

very serious situation to be confronted with ....

I think i'd change coffee shops if I were you.

I walk to that coffee shop from Thonglor every other day....

Blake is doing all of us a huge favor by trying to get this guy locked up for good.

Only a matter of time before he kills a farang if he's released.

[Seastallion]

Not enough evidence then? What do they need, the knife sticking out of his chest? That's crazy! It's clearly a case of premeditated attempted murder. There are quite a few stories like this circulating on the net, were the perp gets off scott free, or albeit with a slap on the wrist.

Like the scummy speedboat driver, that killed two Koreans in Phuket. That boy got two years.

It's a wonder that with the incident happening around Ekamai, that they didn't search Mr Sibbit, to see if he was carrying any drugs on his person. That would have been were the real money is. If he'd been carrying a few pills, they'd have given him twenty years and a massive fine.

I agree there should be enough evidence for some sort of conviction, but I completely disagree that it is "clearly a case of premeditated attempted murder". There is no evidence of pre-meditation, and we do not know if he just wanted to stab the victim without causing his death.

[SOTIRIOS]

....what is the internationally accepted charge for 'attempted murder'.....

First-degree attempted murder carries greater penalties and often means a life sentence with the possibility of parole. Offenders typically spend at least 10 years in prison

...lack of evidence...........???.......video...witnesses....weapons....suspect caught red-handed.......

...why should there be any chance of this psycho being released any time soon.....

...just make sure that nobody 'put him up to it'....never know nowadays......

...real estate....hmmm.....

[falangjim]

I hope the Canadian heals fast.

When I look at that p.o.s somchai in his fatigue spants, his knife and M50 bottle of liquid caffeine, I can't help think he's like so many Thais who really should just go back to the farm. He's a loser, and the fact he picks on an unarmed foreigner speaks volumes as to how Thais fight. What a scum bag. He's a disgrace to his own country and humanity.

Edited July 18, 2015 by falangjim

[stoli]

This story is unbelievable, and I still believe it. This needs to go viral, and the police put on trial by the world.

[soalbundy]

I blame his parents.....oh, and his drug dealer, just think,this guy has voting rights.