Security guard in Bangla tourists' beating suspected of Tourist Police volunteer assault

[Lite Beer]

Security guard in Bangla tourists' beating suspected of Tourist Police volunteer assault
The Phuket News

PHUKET: One of the Bangla security guards involved in the vicious beating of two Australian tourists early Wednesday morning is believed to have attacked an expat Tourist Police volunteer just days earlier.

Phuket expat Divan Mydeen, an Indian national who assists Tourist Police with patrols on Patong’s Bangla Rd, was attacked and hit on the head from behind while off duty last Friday (Oct 2).

He had just completed his patrols with an enlisted Thai Tourist Police officer when the attack happened.

“I was at Tazmania Pool Lounge [on Bangla Rd] and a man who looked like a security guard came up to me and asked if I was Tourist Police officer,” Mr Mydeen told The Phuket News.

“After I said ‘yes’, he started walking away, but then he suddenly turned around and hit me on the back of my head.”

The force of the blow felled Mr Mydeen to the floor, and the motive for the attack remains unknown.

“All I can think of is that he hates police for some reason, because I didn’t have any argument with him at all,” Mr Mydeen said.

Mr Mydeen immediately reported the attack to police on duty in the area, but his attacker had already fled.

The attack was reported to Kathu Police Deputy Commander Akanit Danpitaksat, and Pol Lt Narwee Singsom has taken up the task up tracking down the assailant.

The man was known to work as a security guard in the area.

“We believe that he is hiding somewhere because no one had seen him lately,” Lt Narwee said. “At first, we believed that he worked around there, but no witness could tell us where worked. We don’t have any picture of him. Only Mr Mydeen can identify the man who hit him.”

However, since the attack on the two Australian tourists on Wednesday, it is now suspected that one of the five security guards involved in that attack also attacked Mr Mydeen.

Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Col Akanit has so far declined to name the five security guards involved in that attack, but a senior Tourist Police volunteer told The Phuket News today, “It seems one of the five men in the attack is the man who attacked Divan [Mydeen]. We are going tonight in uniform with the Royal Thai Police to secure a copy of the guys’ Thai ID cards.”

Mr Mydeen will also have CCTV footage provided to refer to, the volunteer said.

“We are also really pushing for a meeting with the Patong Entertainment Business Association, security guards, bar managers, the commander of the Kathu Police and the police volunteers to warn of jail time for assaults on customers by security,” he added.

Long-standing Region 8 Royal Thai Police Volunteer leader Wal Brown will be taking up the issue with the Kathu Police Commander, Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya.

“Divan [Mydeen] is okay now, but this behaviour is unacceptable,” Mr Brown told The Phuket News. “You can’t have people attacking volunteers and just walking away. It sets a standard that no one wants to see on the streets, and then no one will want to help as a police volunteer.

“I will be raising this with, Lt Col Pongpichan, who coordinates Region 8 Police volunteers operating in Patong,” he said.

Capt Ekachai Siri, Deputy Inspector of the Patong Police Tourist, supported Mr Brown’s call for better protection for police volunteers.

“We are doing our best to find the who hit Mr Mydeen,” he said. “I feel very sorry for him and of course we are working with the Kathu Police to find the suspect. We will try our best to bring this case to justice.”

Bangla thugs

Lt Col Pongphichan earlier this year noted that expat police volunteers have no law-enforcement rights whatsoever unless a regular officer on duty is with them, which is often the case.

But also assured that anyone who assaulted a volunteer would face the law.

Lt Col Pongphichan publicly voiced his support for expat volunteers after a gang of thugs drinking on the steps right in front of the police box at the beach end of Bangla Rd in July threatened expat police volunteers on patrol, and in doing so exposed the lack of police protection on Phuket’s main party street. (See story here.)

The thugs, all employees of Bangkok-based ASEFA Public Co.,Ltd, were let off with a formal apology by company representative Chokanan Phoraksa. (See story here.)

“The company is so sorry about the incident, and we realise that we should train and teach our staff better,” Said Mr Chokanan. “If the threats of violence by our staff are true then we apologise sincerely to the police volunteers.”

However, the employees were not called on to at least make their own apologies in person.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/security-guard-in-bangla-tourists-beating-suspected-of-tourist-police-volunteer-assault-54483.php

-- Phuket News 2015-10-09

[amerasianex]

I say a world wide boycott of Puket is far overdue. The Island of death.

[terryp]

“You can’t have people attacking volunteers and just walking away. It sets a standard that no one wants to see on the streets, and then no one will want to help as a police volunteer.

LOL is this guy for real this is Thailand....other nationalitys rights are zilch here and working in Patong where the hell has he been, its like this every night there.

500 baht is the price he will pay for your smack on the head..i hope you wake up and realize you are basically wasting your time

[bearpolar]

I say a world wide boycott of Puket is far overdue. The Island of death.

Great, please do not post here or come back to our island.

1 less bar hooligan to worry about.

[jackh]

Why aren't the bar business owners responsible for the security people they hire? When these incidents occur, the business owner should be held liable for the actions of their staff as well. Then they will think twice before hiring street thugs as bouncers.

[Carlosm]

Why is it the Thai's think that by saying 'sorry' its all over ? No charges, no fines no retrebution.

Earlier this year a Thai teenager shot my dog in my garden. The police caught him, brought him before me and he said 'sorry' and his mother basically said 'right, thats it, lets go'. I ended up having to get a layer involved.

Apologies are the same as crocodile tears over here and these guys should be charged and sent down sending out the proper message !

[SunSeek01]

Read that one Burdett book about the body shop down by Nai Yarn (think that's it down at the south tip by the great viewpoint). I don't know how some F'rongs learn all this stuff. As for this beating, man I've been lucky. Girls have steered me straight at every dangerous juncture before I learned my lesson about gang/herd mentality. It's not just in TH.

[steffi]

The story reads like it was wrong only to attack the volunteer and not the tourists.

[IamNoone88]

The force of the blow felled Mr Mydeen to the floor, and the motive for the attack remains unknown.

The issue is not the motive - there is unlikely one. The issue is the psychotic mindset of the morons that are engaged as security guards. They believe that they are untouchable tough guys who regularly use excessive force as and when they feel like it. Sadly, that is the culture of Patong nightlife and the scum that leaches off of it. It drags society down and the people involved in it in ever diminishing circles. There remains no reason why it can't be clean and professional but that attitude is out of reach.

[bearpolar]

Why is it the Thai's think that by saying 'sorry' its all over ? No charges, no fines no retrebution.

Earlier this year a Thai teenager shot my dog in my garden. The police caught him, brought him before me and he said 'sorry' and his mother basically said 'right, thats it, lets go'. I ended up having to get a layer involved.

Apologies are the same as crocodile tears over here and these guys should be charged and sent down sending out the proper message !

What do you think happens when you live in a ghetto in any western country? Same kind of things. dont expect anything different when you move into a thai ghetto.

These things do not happen in nice areas.

[teacherpaul]

“You can’t have people attacking volunteers and just walking away. It sets a standard that no one wants to see on the streets, and then no one will want to help as a police volunteer.

LOL is this guy for real this is Thailand....other nationalitys rights are zilch here and working in Patong where the hell has he been, its like this every night there.

500 baht is the price he will pay for your smack on the head..i hope you wake up and realize you are basically wasting your time

Your head-in-the-sand kop-out attitude never helps anyone. better if you kept your unhelpful thoughts to yourself.

[teacherpaul]

Read that one Burdett book about the body shop down by Nai Yarn (think that's it down at the south tip by the great viewpoint). I don't know how some F'rongs learn all this stuff. As for this beating, man I've been lucky. Girls have steered me straight at every dangerous juncture before I learned my lesson about gang/herd mentality. It's not just in TH.

I don't think anyone cares what other countries this happens in, as we are mainly concerned with Thailand. This makes your point irrelevant.

[BestBitterPhuket]

The police are obviously protecting these thugs and criminals. These attacks have been going on for years with impunity. It just goes to show how extremely poorly Thailand is governed, when they accept thugs and criminals harming tourists, a major source of income. Ultimately it is General Prayut's responsibility for refusing to reform the rotten police.

[LomSak27]

Bear Polar these things don't happen in "nice area" people there take swan dives off their balconies

My good deed for the week. A coworker of decades back contacted me > her daughter, friend and girlfriend are off traveling in SE asia. I was able to give them some advice and tell them to proceed with due caution. Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Tao were the three islands I specifically told them to miss. Likely they will hit a beach in Krabi and in Bali.

Until Thailand cleans up its act, friends don't let friends go to these places.

[cockatoowho]

General/PM, grow some and fix the problems. If you cannot do the job because you are scared of your skeletons in the cupboard biting you on the backside, get out, retire with your ill gotten gains and inflict your moody misery on your family and friends.

[Ducking and]

As a former police volunteer in Phuket - and yes it is certainly a job worth doing - I do think " jackh" has got it absolutely right. Thai People need to be held accountable.

[pmk1000]

I say a world wide boycott of Puket is far overdue. The Island of death.

Great, please do not post here or come back to our island.

1 less bar hooligan to worry about.

Bearpolar you have a very low opinion of foreigners, only yesterday you stated the Australian lads deserved to be kicked and beaten in the head while down on the ground! You also stated gang violence happens everywhere in the world and this somehow makes it OK in your eyes! I would like to tell you whoever you THINK you are, not all foreigners are bar hooligans, it is NOT cool to beat and kick people on the ground in any country of the world. In the western world gang beatings are primarily kids who have a lot of anger inside them, and need to grow up! It is you that should not post here again, or chose your words more carefully! Your post from yesterday!

as usual

old drunkard farang men complaining about thais "ganging up" while its the same shit in the west. It's always gang beat downs. 1v1's are as comon in thailand as in the rest of the world.

And as usual, theres is a 90% chance the 2 guys did deserve a beat down, so lets not get on our high horses and complain that it was too violent.

[starchild5]

Its the farangs who are too blame..No coordination whatsoever...Your money runs the show called Thailand.....distribute your tourist money to other Asian countries...

Farangs really do have immense power by the way of dollar...just be like a team and boycott.demand more protection, open dedicate facebook page exposing the reality of Thailand, do crowd funding campaign and raise awareness...

Im ready to offer my coding skils etc to anyone who wants to take this initiative ...Im Indian so not much money but my skills are for free

[Sparkles]

Big difference between restraint and kicking and punching people in the head while they are on the ground ,a cowardly act, but always the main

direction these altercations go.Not that long ago there was a video posted of a Thai guy kicking his girlfriend unconciouas as she lay in the soi.

People still getting beaten up in Chiang Mai Karaoke bars for not paying obscene bills for just a few drinks...question the bill or refuse to pay it

you will most likely get beaten up by a few thugs that come out of the shadows

The number of people throughout the world that are in comas as a result oif beatings must run into 1,000's.As a society we have hardly moved on

and in Thailand its a weekly event.

[razer]

It boils down to just one thing; police doing their jobs and the legal system doing its job. A violent crime is a crime. A public apology isn't much of a deterrence.

[pmk1000]

Thailand is a beautiful country, and in my personal experience i find the Thai some of the nicest people i have ever met, and i have been all over the world! Unfortunately there is evil everywhere and Thailand is no different, you have to have your wits about you or you will go down, and there is little or no legal recourse. The norm is 500 baht fine for stabbing foreigner's, well <deleted> Recently a Thai man in Pattaya was arrested for threatening foreigners with a knife on Pattaya Beach, 2 hours later he was arrested for stabbing someone with a knife on the beach. This man was released from jail and most likely allowed to keep the weapon he then went on to seriously assault someone. <deleted>. He was fined 500 baht!!!!

[Linky]

I say a world wide boycott of Puket is far overdue. The Island of death.

Great, please do not post here or come back to our island.

1 less bar hooligan to worry about.

Bearpolar you have a very low opinion of foreigners, only yesterday you stated the Australian lads deserved to be kicked and beaten in the head while down on the ground! You also stated gang violence happens everywhere in the world and this somehow makes it OK in your eyes! I would like to tell you whoever you THINK you are, not all foreigners are bar hooligans, it is NOT cool to beat and kick people on the ground in any country of the world. In the western world gang beatings are primarily kids who have a lot of anger inside them, and need to grow up! It is you that should not post here again, or chose your words more carefully! Your post from yesterday!

as usual

old drunkard farang men complaining about thais "ganging up" while its the same shit in the west. It's always gang beat downs. 1v1's are as comon in thailand as in the rest of the world.

And as usual, theres is a 90% chance the 2 guys did deserve a beat down, so lets not get on our high horses and complain that it was too violent.

Bearpolar struggles with reality.

What gangs do anywhere is irrelevant. This has nothing to do with a gang. This is about employees paid to ensure your safety doing the beating.

[pmk1000]

I say a world wide boycott of Puket is far overdue. The Island of death.

Great, please do not post here or come back to our island.

1 less bar hooligan to worry about.

Bearpolar you have a very low opinion of foreigners, only yesterday you stated the Australian lads deserved to be kicked and beaten in the head while down on the ground! You also stated gang violence happens everywhere in the world and this somehow makes it OK in your eyes! I would like to tell you whoever you THINK you are, not all foreigners are bar hooligans, it is NOT cool to beat and kick people on the ground in any country of the world. In the western world gang beatings are primarily kids who have a lot of anger inside them, and need to grow up! It is you that should not post here again, or chose your words more carefully! Your post from yesterday!

as usual

old drunkard farang men complaining about thais "ganging up" while its the same shit in the west. It's always gang beat downs. 1v1's are as comon in thailand as in the rest of the world.

And as usual, theres is a 90% chance the 2 guys did deserve a beat down, so lets not get on our high horses and complain that it was too violent.

Bearpolar struggles with reality.

What gangs do anywhere is irrelevant. This has nothing to do with a gang. This is about employees paid to ensure your safety doing the beating.

OK it was a gang of Thai bouncers, that have now been sacked for behaving like a gang of kids, beating kicking guys in the head while down on the ground. 500 Baht fine if the Australians ever do make a complaint!

[sawadee1947]

but his attacker had already fled.

very strange indeed....!

[DaveinAsia]

Why aren't the bar business owners responsible for the security people they hire? When these incidents occur, the business owner should be held liable for the actions of their staff as well. Then they will think twice before hiring street thugs as bouncers.

The bar owners actually hire the guys for their aggressive and no fear mentality. The owners will never be held liable for anything. The bars are owned by rich locals, mafia or even the cops themselves. That's why they can do as they please. They probably tried to through a few 1000 baht on top of the Aussie guys bill and they resisted. Usually the tourists just pay up so nothing happens but this time the Aussies said no bloody way am I paying that bill. The rest is history

Edited October 10, 2015 by DaveinAsia

[LivinLOS]

Why is it the Thai's think that by saying 'sorry' its all over ? No charges, no fines no retrebution.

Earlier this year a Thai teenager shot my dog in my garden. The police caught him, brought him before me and he said 'sorry' and his mother basically said 'right, thats it, lets go'. I ended up having to get a layer involved.

Apologies are the same as crocodile tears over here and these guys should be charged and sent down sending out the proper message !

What do you think happens when you live in a ghetto in any western country? Same kind of things. dont expect anything different when you move into a thai ghetto.

These things do not happen in nice areas.

You mean high so celebs in Phuket town ?? Oh no hang on..

Or perhaps Surin is a nice area... Where that poor woman got beaten so badly by paid thugs ??

Where is this 'nice area' on Phuket ???

[Linky]

Why aren't the bar business owners responsible for the security people they hire? When these incidents occur, the business owner should be held liable for the actions of their staff as well. Then they will think twice before hiring street thugs as bouncers.

The bar owners actually hire the guys for their aggressive and no fear mentality. The owners will never be held liable for anything. The bars are owned by rich locals, mafia or even the cops themselves. That's why they can do as they please. They probably tried to through a few 1000 baht on top of the Aussie guys bill and they resisted. Usually the tourists just pay up so nothing happens but this time the Aussies said no bloody way am I paying that bill. The rest is history

There was no bar bill. Their tickets showed it was free drinks.

[MockingJay]

With a government that strongly supports an anti-foreign attitude, what else should we expect?

[DaveinAsia]

Why aren't the bar business owners responsible for the security people they hire? When these incidents occur, the business owner should be held liable for the actions of their staff as well. Then they will think twice before hiring street thugs as bouncers.

The bar owners actually hire the guys for their aggressive and no fear mentality. The owners will never be held liable for anything. The bars are owned by rich locals, mafia or even the cops themselves. That's why they can do as they please. They probably tried to through a few 1000 baht on top of the Aussie guys bill and they resisted. Usually the tourists just pay up so nothing happens but this time the Aussies said no bloody way am I paying that bill. The rest is history

There was no bar bill. Their tickets showed it was free drinks.

Whose version of the story is that? I'd like to hear the Aussies side of the story. Any links anyone?

[LivinginKata]

Whose version of the story is that? I'd like to hear the Aussies side of the story. Any links anyone?

Here you go ---> http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/10/10/12/07/not-one-of-us-threw-a-punch-aussie-tourist-speaks-out-over-brutal-attack-by-thai-bouncers