Foreign tourist viciously beaten by drunken Thai men

[AlphaSoiDog]

Other than whether the guy "deserved it" or not (of course not), the main point I see is a perceived rise in violence against foreigners. We have anecdotal "evidence", but no numbers.

If we live on sites like this then confirmation bias (look it up if not sure, it's really good to know about) will convince us there is an exponential increase. How much of that perceived increase is just the increase in recording devices?

We have no numbers and this discussion seems to have devolved into a belief system based flame war between foreigners on this forum. It seems we have:

1. "he must have done something to deserve it".

It does not appear that he was in any condition to do anything much and nobody "deserves" what they did in any rational society.

2. "Thai people would never do that".

Just like they wouldn't try to kill that German with farming tools for watching the sun rise.

3. "It's the same violence as in any other country".

I can get beaten for harassing someones dog. I can get beaten for calling someone a buffalo who just ran into my car or bike. And very little recourse to the law. Doesn't seem the same to me.

4. "Thai's are a violent bunch and you had better watch out"

We have no numbers on this, just some sensational videos and a lot of anecdotes. Certainly Thailand is not all smiles.

What we do know is that a bunch of foreigners will flame each other incessantly with opinions lacking in evidence. Good thing we don't live together.

I'm new to TV, how does one remove oneself from a particular forum? Never mind, I'll figure it out....

[joebrown]

There must be more to this. The guy just sits there and takes it, nearly looking as if hes taking whats coming to him.

If it was a random attack would you not offer some resistance?

If it was unprevoked, you would think he would at least be up and running, or going for the throat of one of them

It's a shame we don't see what happened out of the CCTV's view, as something provocative might have been said by the victim. However, the victim was hardly acting in a hostile manner when assaulted, and maybe he felt safer sitting with his back to the shop, to stop anyone hitting him from behind. I think if I was being aggressively confronted by 3 mentally disturbed adults I'd be inclined to back away and take up a defensive pose rather than react with violence. After all, I remember seeing other news clips where a group of 3 Thais quickly turns into a pack of 10 at the smell of foreign blood.

[B1TcoinLife]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

Exactly what 'reason' justifies being kicked in the head repeatedly by 3 Thai men?

Talking when you should have been listening....

[Thaidream]

The key to most bad encounters in Thailand is alcohol. I have been in Thai restaurants with my Thai wife and a tqable of Thai men- drinking whiskey- have made rude and sarcastic comments about me and my wife. This has happened frequently. To avoid a fight, it is necessary to not even look at them and definitely not say anything. You get as far away as possible from them and once ignored they will stop the comments. Some people, when drunk, are looking for a confrontation. However, I have seen the same behavior among foreigners in Thailand, drunk, and aggressive. The difference being the Thai will normally stop when there is no confrontation; the foreigner continues to provoke.

Thailand has a huge alcohol problem. Until the powers that be, actually come up with a plan to regulate alcohol sales- nothing will change. A nice start would to actully check ID cards at Pubs/Bars/Clubs. Anyone under the age of 20 should not be there unless staff.

[sipi]

Wasn't it just a little coincidental that these 15 year olds were wandering the streets of Pattaya at 1am wearing boxing/ muay thai shorts?

A little moving target practice perhaps?

[Thechook]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

Thais beat and murder strangers in Melbourne, Australia for absolutly no reason and there are less of them there than in Thailand.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Most viewers comments are totally against this abhorrent activity since it could cause damage to Thailand’s Tourism industry.' One reason for Thais not to beat up someone, I suppose; but not a very convincing one. Another is that when there are only two Thais, as opposed to the usual five and up, there is a good chance they'll pick on the wrong victim.

And the reports of/witnesses to the incident abound with contradictions: two men vs four teenagers; two drunken Thais vs four teens who claim they hadn't touched alcohol; the tourist was patting a dog in front of the store vs he staggered along to the store, drunk. ; There

[D3030]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

It's okay to love Thailand 'Happy Joe', but it's another thing to act as an apologist for cowards and thugs ... I've just seen the video, the foreigner looked as if he'd had too much to drink, he looked a bit unsteady on his feet. He didn't look remotely aggressive or argumentative.

So, what exactly could he have done to deserve this? Your assertion that he must have done something to deserve a one-sided kicking by three cowards is in itself a 'fanciful speculation'. Innocent people do get beat up for no reason.

Let's hope the next time this happens it's not you on the receiving end.

As Alex goes on to defend the actions of another innocent foreigner in Pattaya..

The tourist being drunk and unsteady on his feet, obviously makes him a completely innocent victim!

Drunk people NEVER say or do stupid things while intoxicated. NEVER!

If you can visually see that a person is intoxicated, why assume he is completely innocent in getting his ass whooped?

Maybe some drunk can go off and smack a friend or relative of yours and you can sit back and watch his drunk ass walk away and you feel proud of yourself from doing what some men think as being weak, a coward, or both.

That's your choice, and maybe the wise one in the long run....

Anyway...

Happy Joe just made a valid statement. Thai's just don't normally go out beating up white people for no reason. I don't even think he said the guy deserved it..

[Jonmarleesco]

The key to most bad encounters in Thailand is alcohol. I have been in Thai restaurants with my Thai wife and a tqable of Thai men- drinking whiskey- have made rude and sarcastic comments about me and my wife. This has happened frequently. To avoid a fight, it is necessary to not even look at them and definitely not say anything. You get as far away as possible from them and once ignored they will stop the comments. Some people, when drunk, are looking for a confrontation. However, I have seen the same behavior among foreigners in Thailand, drunk, and aggressive. The difference being the Thai will normally stop when there is no confrontation; the foreigner continues to provoke.

Thailand has a huge alcohol problem. Until the powers that be, actually come up with a plan to regulate alcohol sales- nothing will change. A nice start would to actully check ID cards at Pubs/Bars/Clubs. Anyone under the age of 20 should not be there unless staff.

They do regulate the sale of alcohol; have you never noticed the signs? No alcohol served between the hours of 2.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. - the precise hours are probably off since I don't tend to buy alcohol in shops (off-licences) in the afternoon; no alcohol can be sold due to the election; no alcohol can be sold due to buddhist holiday.

[Jonmarleesco]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

It's okay to love Thailand 'Happy Joe', but it's another thing to act as an apologist for cowards and thugs ... I've just seen the video, the foreigner looked as if he'd had too much to drink, he looked a bit unsteady on his feet. He didn't look remotely aggressive or argumentative.

So, what exactly could he have done to deserve this? Your assertion that he must have done something to deserve a one-sided kicking by three cowards is in itself a 'fanciful speculation'. Innocent people do get beat up for no reason.

Let's hope the next time this happens it's not you on the receiving end.

As Alex goes on to defend the actions of another innocent foreigner in Pattaya..

The tourist being drunk and unsteady on his feet, obviously makes him a completely innocent victim!

Drunk people NEVER say or do stupid things while intoxicated. NEVER!

If you can visually see that a person is intoxicated, why assume he is completely innocent in getting his ass whooped?

Maybe some drunk can go off and smack a friend or relative of yours and you can sit back and watch his drunk ass walk away and you feel proud of yourself from doing what some men think as being weak, a coward, or both.

That's your choice, and maybe the wise one in the long run....

Anyway...

Happy Joe just made a valid statement. Thai's just don't normally go out beating up white people for no reason. I don't even think he said the guy deserved it..

'Thai's just don't normally go out beating up white people for no reason.' Thais in general? Of course not. But you think it's not a regular activity for some? Of course it is.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Jonmarleesco

[Spaniel]

Better to be arrested for having pepperspray than being beaten up by a bunch of losers.

Is pepperspray illegal?

[inbangkok]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

Elementary reasoning at its finest. So because you have never witnessed such a thing, there must be something incomplete or missing? You must be from Utopia since you don't seem to believe that random acts of violence occur in the world.

[happy Joe]

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

what a stupid statement! You are saying there has never been an unprovoked attack in Pattaya? All sweetness and fun in the Pattaya heaven.

You have to go back to school learning to read, dude . I said that I have never seen leaving open the possibility of not knowing everything...

Thais I met in Pattaya have always respected me and helped on occasion. The same in Chiang Mai now and at the village of my young wife. It is true that I am naturally smiling and friendly.

But when we read this forum daily one realizes quickly that visitors and residents in Thailand are very far from being the elite of the West. Besides those like you are unable to read correctly there are here losers embittered all ready to criticize anything that is unusual, insulting and fighting for a detail.

These guys know of mishaps. No need for them to change countries, misfortune clings to them like a louse on the hair of the tramp.

[JHolmesJr]

What I can't understand is that most farangs, drunk or not, should know what's coming next…the kick in the head….multiple kicks in the head…so why keep yourself on a lower level and present an unmissable target?

At the very least, stand up with arms free to parry. And back off…or look for a chair or something to block.

Or scream.

PS. Im not muai thai but if I kicked a thai guy sitting like that on the floor, his jaw would need wiring, at the very least.

Edited April 21, 2016 by JHolmesJr

[RigPig]

OK lets play "HYPOTHETICAL"

Lets say that the "Farang victim" was an expert in something like dim mak (or some other fighting skill).

He stood up after the first sign of aggression and "creamed" the assailants, in self defense.

Then what would happen?

Firstly the headline would read (if you got to see it) "FOREIGNER BEATS UP THAI CHILDREN"

I think he would end up eating rice soup and fish heads (at least until he could pay someone to get bailed.....)

It's all in the national anthem..... Thailand is for Thais!!!!

The guys that did this will not be punished to the degree it will stop them from doing it again!!! And their friends will learn from this too, and so it will continue and probably get worse (as it seems to be happening).

NATIONALISM, the curse of the human race....

[RigPig]

There must be more to this. The guy just sits there and takes it, nearly looking as if hes taking whats coming to him.

If it was a random attack would you not offer some resistance?

If it was unprevoked, you would think he would at least be up and running, or going for the throat of one of them

So he will end up being locked up for assaulting a Thai?

[JayBird]

What I can't understand is that most farangs, drunk or not, should know what's coming next…the kick in the head….multiple kicks in the head…so why keep yourself on a lower level and present an unmissable target?

At the very least, stand up with arms free to parry. And back off…or look for a chair or something to block.

Or scream.

PS. Im not muai thai but if I kicked a thai guy sitting like that on the floor, his jaw would need wiring, at the very least.

I think he was too intoxicated to stand and defend himself -- would have just been knocked down which would have hurt more.

He tried to block the kick a few times. Probably he realized his only chance.

No need to scream -- there were people there watching. One girl never even blinked and appears to just casually scratch herself while this is going on.

At least one guy tried to help (I notice very little positive comments about the THAI man who actually put himself in the way to try and HELP the foreigner).

[RigPig]

You don't get beaten up for nothing.

Not in the assailants mind anyway......

[hgma]

how old was the instigator? 85?

Able to defend himself and it wouldn't happen.

Thats the truth (in general terms) to!!!!!

[RigPig]

happy Joe, on 21 Apr 2016 - 05:28, said:

I lived many years in Pattaya.

Never, never have I seen Thais men beat a stranger for no reason.

I believe that this information is incomplete.

So the comments that follow will be pure fanciful speculations as usual.

Deserved to be viscously beaten? what is it? the law of the jungle? or Pattaya has it's own laws

where people can be pummeled to the ground just because they said something that

someone didn't like?

I'm freaking surprised it doesn't happen more often!!

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the beat down..

There are just some rude, better than everyone else tourist (both men and women), peckerheads that treat Thai's like garbage..

I standby biting my tongue, holding back on confronting tourist myself when I witness the stupid things they say/do to Thai people..

So, I do agree! A majority of the time, Thai's just don't go off and beat the crap out of tourist for no reason.

The reason is because the victim was not Thai so they knew they would either get off scott free or with a minor charge against them.

Reverse the situation and see if the same happens!!!

You are not EQUAL in this country, right or wrong....

[RigPig]

So revenge is a good reason to assault someone? Did the alleged victim of the Farangs assault have marks on him? Were there witnesses to this assault by others? Or was it just an excuse to justify a crime that was caught on camera (that they didn't think about... forward planning... )

[RigPig]

I think it should say drunk foreign tourist viciously beaten by Thai men. He didn't get up because he couldn't. Nothing I see tells me the Thai guys were drunk, but you can't always see it. Petting and trying to comfort the dog like that looks a little overdramatized. I wouldn't be surprised the Thai guys did something to the dog, he said something he shouldn't have and away it went. I don't like the way dogs get treated here, but I wouldn't openly berate someone for it either.

The Thai guys are oh so wrong too. You never kick a man around the head unless it's to defend yourself. It doesn't look like he ever posed any threat to them. This isn't unique to Thailand. The locals in New Orleans would do the same.

But they would not be immune from procecution and some form of justice (as in a civilized society) just because of nationality (not being Thai)...

[GuestHouse]

The video posted by LennyW clearly shows three Thai men viciously attacking a foreigner.

But it also clearly shows two other Thai men trying to intervene to stop the attack.

We might reasonably cnclude the attackers are vicious cowards but the evidence of the video is that they are not representative of all Thai men, as the two guys intervening demonstrate.

The guy in the green shirt in particular demonstrates courage in challenging the attackers which I doubt few if any commentators here could muster if placed in the situation he faced.

[RigPig]

You don't get beaten up for nothing.

That depends on whether you are talking about the victim or the perpertrators of the assault. I am sure they all have different views!!!

[Nobb]

These brave so called young men will be one reason why the tourist quit coming to Thailand. Drunk or on drugs and just looking for a fight that these two chickens could not loose. So cowardly that they are reduced to less than human in there action. Why is these actions in Thailand a common accuarance and where are the Thai police. Land of a thousand punks and robbers!

[soc]

You don't get beaten up for nothing.

maybe "not for nothing" but "just for fun" certainly. Not only in Thailand, though..... even in my home country young drunksters absolutely like a "just for fun" beating of random people

If you follow the news in many countries.... it seems that violence among teens and into the twenties... is also getting worse in Europe and the U.S. and Canada etc. etc....

There are vicious beatings every day in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada every day also... and in cities in Europe and the U.S. Not sure about Australia.... I don't follow the news there...

Perhaps I'm wrong......and it only seems that way........ I hope I'm wrong..... but I think it is not just in Thailand..

Australia too.

Road rage is up

D!ckheads texting & talking on mobile phones while driving.

ldiots on lce looking for trouble.

ldiots attacking bus drivers on public buses.

Entitled idiots putting their feet on seats in the trains then getting belligerent when told to remove them.

Cowardly "king hits" on unsuspecting drunks. Straight to the back of the head. Several people have died because of this. lts now been made a distinct law with its own set jail time.

l despair of the human race.

l much prefer animals.

[Pattaya46]

// I think if I was being aggressively confronted by 3 mentally disturbed adults //

This story is about 2 teenagers, and angry doesn't mean "disturbed".

Exactly what 'reason' justifies being kicked in the head repeatedly by 3 Thai men?

No reason, but only 2 attacked, and they were young boys

Thailand has a huge alcohol problem.

In the present case it's the Farang who may have a problem with alcohol

And the reports of/witnesses to the incident abound with contradictions: two men vs four teenagers; two drunken Thais vs four teens who claim they hadn't touched alcohol; the tourist was patting a dog in front of the store vs he staggered along to the store, drunk. ; There

Which contradictions??

- Nobody talked about "men". The lady (witness) used the word "วัยรุ่น" (young, teenage)

- 4 teenagers, whom 2 only fighted

- "two drunken Thais". Where did you see that? The witness said that the Farang looked drunk, not the Thais. And clearly he is not walking very straight on the video.

- the dog? Yes, we see it with the dog on the video, and?? It's what happen after that is important: we see him walk (laboriously) to the back, out of the camera range. Then something happened... (an unfortunate gesture because drunk?). He comes back, followed by the teens, and then the (unjustified) fight starts.

So which contradictions ?

[RigPig]

Most Thai men are basically cowards and //

I would bet that many of those who post this kind of message too...

BTW your "Thai men" in this story are young boys less than 15 yo...

They have been identified by the Police: pattayaone.net and news.sanook.com

Looks like the Farang was drunk and punched/pushed away one of the boys making his brother angry.

A priori no drug or alcohol involved (for the Thai part)

According to "Sanook.com",

Acting on her information Pattaya police were able to arrest a gang of four teenagers, all under the age of 15, around the convenience stores location in Kao Talo. The youngsters claimed that the foreign man had punched one of them and they had acted to revenge their brother.

The youths accepted that two of them had acted in an inappropriate manner however claimed that they had not been drinking any alcohol at all on the night the assault took place and only reacted in anger to the foreigner’s initial painful attack.

Were they tested for drugs? Did their made up excuse get checked? And even if it was true (which I doubt) it is still NO REASON to assault someone, they could have called the police hahahaha.....

[RigPig]

I am sure somebody has beat me to this statement but when you go out and get stinken drunk and wobble off home in the wee hours of the morning your looking for trouble.

Why? So you think that because you get "plastered" for whatever reason, then you should expect to be beaten up on your way home?

[RigPig]

I've been regularly cycle training in a northern village recently. Each time a dog chased me I yelled, stopped, and chased it back.

I was warned by my Thai partner that "if" a Thai "dog owner" didn't like me retraining their unrestrained dog in a harmless (to the dog) way, they might beat me up. And this is in a small quiet village.

So, in some cases these dogs threatened my life (and others), but I could get bashed for discouraging that. Yep, the bad falang MUST have caused it.

Yep, I had a dog that was deficating outside my front door, when the dog came and wanted to "P" on my bike I threw a flip flop at it, didn't hit it' I didn't intend to, just wanted to scare it away.

I had to go to the police station and (I was lucky the chief of tourist police who speaks fluent Thai was there) was told that the dog was Thai and had more rights than I did and I was lucky not to be deported.

I should have invited the dog inside, fed it, and wiped it after it did it's business in the lounge. How dare I let the dog go toilet outside!!! (sarcasm).