Leaking Hua Hin attack footage "damaged the country" say authorities

[jesimps]

Every single baby born in Thailand is brainwashed from birth to believe that Thailand is not only the finest country in the world but it is also the largest. This is the literal teaching they receive every day in school and is enforced by the press and the TV. Along with this is the implication that all foreigners are by nature inferior, somehow not entirely human, and to be tolerated, at best. At worst, particularly with young Thai men (who have a mental age of an adolescent out of control with an excess of testosterone) farangs are to not to be tolerated, given the slightest excuse. Add to this cultural belief that any kind of loss of face concerning a farang needs addressing immediately, and the aggression and hatred bursts out. As Thai men never go anywhere alone, this usually involves an enraged mob.

This wasn't just someone pushing back to save face. This was an outburst of hatred and rage - coming back again and again to punch and kick the old people who were already semi-conscious on the ground.

If further argument is needed, the same culture teaches Thai people to venerate the aged. Which they do. Unless the old people are not real people - ie foreigners.

It is irrelevant who pushed first or if the farangs started it or not. This incident is yet another example that Thailand is not a civilised nation in the way the rest of the world understands the concept. This is a country where there is so much dissatisfaction and aggression that the name of the daily exercise for everyone is to make everything *appear* wonderful and keep things in line with way that the Thais like to perceive themselves - smiling and gentle. In other words - do absolutely anything at all to save face.

Unfortunately for Thailand, again and again and again over the last few years, the instantaneous nature of social media and its global coverage is revealing the lies and cover-ups almost daily to the rest of the world. And the more it happens, the more tragic the Thai reaction, as they panic and flap about pathetically with implausible explanations and responses which only serve to dig them deeper in the shit, as they desperately try to save some last despairing shred of face like senseless schoolkids babbling obvious lies at the teacher.

Very sadly, I think it's all going to get a lot worse before it begins to get any better.

Very well said Rob.

Although the attackers, who outnumbered this family two to one I find despicable, the ones who really make me want to throw up are the farang apologists for them on here.

[slipperylobster]

hairpin trigger.

socially repressed.

[piersbeckett]

I've been here my fair share of years but I'll never get my head wrapped around as to what the thinking is. If they feel like they are being "shamed" even to the smallest degree then the whole world is coming apart . . . yet, they have no shame about anything they do!

I think, to a large extent, 'face' takes the place of what European (N. America, Canada & Australia inc.) culture would describe as 'morals' and then pragmatism also plays a larger part in how the Thais think than it does in the European mindset. 'Face' is also a big thing for the Chinese and I don't think they're particularly big on morals either.

The reasons for these differences are, I guess, embedded in the social, economic and political history of the regions with demographics and religious beliefs playing their part.

These 'morals' are professed by Europeans who in Australia and N. America ethnically cleansed those countries of their indigenous populations before and after committing other atrocities worldwide in the name of empire building or the eradication of a perceived threat to their way of life.

[wvavin]

Thank God that video is shown to the international communities to warn them how brutal these people are against the BRITISH!

[KamalaRider]

Why are there so many outcries condemning what happened in Hua Hin. It has already been spelt out by the powers that be, that if you are not Thai, you will not understand Thainess. So there you have it. We just don't understand.

What is most worrying is that TAT is using Thainess as a positive word in their slogan.

I think most expats use it to describe the Thai state of mind of never accept any responsibility, not having true and real humanity, schemes to get the most tea money, their arrogant view on us farang, the easiest and best way to cheat and steal money from anyone, not just farang.

The word Thainess will forever be tainted by Thais themselves and their actions and what's even more troublesome, they don't understand farang, AT ALL, they don't even try.

[forrwhat]

I thought the police released the video (albeit 2 weeks later) to catch the culprits???

Obviously not.

I'm sure catching the culprits takes backseat to making sure that tourism cash cow isn't effected. I wouldn't be surprised if the leakier didn't end up in front of a tribunal for "reeducation" instead of in court.

[slippery snake]

This was a vicious attack but to say it was a random and totally unprovoked attack is untruthful or at least misleading. Unfortunately it was a sad case of accidental bumping that turned into a tragic situation due to poor decisions by everyone involved. There is never a reason to viciously hit anyone when they are down on the ground...especially an old man and an old woman. That said all three tourists in my opinion escalated the situation instead of just walking away when they had opportunities to do so. If you watch the video closely you see the two Thai men walking and arguing before the son bumps into one of them. So the Thai man is already pissed off when he gets bumped and so he then pushes the son...the son unfortunately loses his balance and falls down. The mother then argues with the Thai man and eventually slaps him on the face (she could have walked away or just helped her son to get up). Then there is a melee and it looks to me that the father throws a punch or pushes one of the Thai men (it's hard to see as people are blocking the full view) and the son then restrains the Thai man to keep him from hitting his father (the father and son could have walked away before this scuffle). The father moves away from the crowd and the son releases the Thai man...but the Thai man circles around "to get" the father who had either pushed him or hit him. After that it was an unwarranted vicious assault and the perpetrators should go to jail. But to say the whole situation was an unprovoked random attack by a Thai gang out to attack foreigners for the fun of it is in my opinion not true and doesn't tell the whole story.

I never read anywhere that the Thai's attacked the foreigners just for the 'fun of it' ???

you blame the foreigners for not walking away, they had already pushed their son to the ground,

so why did the Thai's not just walk away ??

and the guy that king hit the woman came running in from out of now where...

[Lee3311]

damaging the country image are the uneducated savages who are full of hatred against the tourists and the Thai Law who does not protect the safety of tourists

[twix38]

what does this news actually tell us?

The biggest crime seen through Thai eyes is that the news became public!!

says it all really.

They are happy when they can cover up and protect the tourist trade. Whether it be murders, beatings, bad behaviour. The first concern is damage limitation for Thai interests. There's a part of me that thinks this stinking attitude, to cover-up and hide news or divert blame and default to excuses, that is on display from the start in every incident deserves to see Thailand suffer for it's collective cynacism and underlying motivation.

Not until they deal with the scum on the streets and apply proper prosecution and sentencing as a deterent and punishment will I accept this pervasive and morally bankrupt status-quo. Many newspapers fear following up stories later if they are not high profile and often because the guilty party is allowed to party-on after paying.

When Thai authorities ALWAYS bang-on about the effect to tourism, don't they have even a clue that it just makes them appear shallow, self-serving, uncaring and morally bankrupt? That's the politest I can say.

You just beat up a grandmother and could well have killed her. You are hereby charged with bringing the countries tourist Dollars into jeapardy!!!!!!

No other charges M'lord.

[wabothai]

An apology rather than these defensive comments might be more appropriate....

too much pride, won't happen.

[gemguy]

The video was not leaked ...rather it was withheld until someone negotiated a tidy some of money for that valuable video.....if you know what I mean.

Cheers

[wabothai]

If the infamous cowards across Thailand are able to read all the above, we all would be dead next week.

[KhunOr]

This was a vicious attack but to say it was a random and totally unprovoked attack is untruthful or at least misleading. Unfortunately it was a sad case of accidental bumping that turned into a tragic situation due to poor decisions by everyone involved. There is never a reason to viciously hit anyone when they are down on the ground...especially an old man and an old woman. That said all three tourists in my opinion escalated the situation instead of just walking away when they had opportunities to do so. If you watch the video closely you see the two Thai men walking and arguing before the son bumps into one of them. So the Thai man is already pissed off when he gets bumped and so he then pushes the son...the son unfortunately loses his balance and falls down. The mother then argues with the Thai man and eventually slaps him on the face (she could have walked away or just helped her son to get up). Then there is a melee and it looks to me that the father throws a punch or pushes one of the Thai men (it's hard to see as people are blocking the full view) and the son then restrains the Thai man to keep him from hitting his father (the father and son could have walked away before this scuffle). The father moves away from the crowd and the son releases the Thai man...but the Thai man circles around "to get" the father who had either pushed him or hit him. After that it was an unwarranted vicious assault and the perpetrators should go to jail. But to say the whole situation was an unprovoked random attack by a Thai gang out to attack foreigners for the fun of it is in my opinion not true and doesn't tell the whole story.

I never read anywhere that the Thai's attacked the foreigners just for the 'fun of it' ???

you blame the foreigners for not walking away, they had already pushed their son to the ground,

so why did the Thai's not just walk away ??

and the guy that king hit the woman came running in from out of now where...

Watch the full video. It is crystal clear that the son stumbled and was not "pushed to the ground" as you state incorrectly.

The Thai guy that hit the mother didn't come "from out of nowhere", he came directly from the clutches of the son who had him in an arm lock. Watch this 16 second segment from the video to see this clearly too and watch the dad swinging a punch in his direction. Mazungu's description was correct.

https://youtu.be/zw4pfwjNis4

Nobody on here has tried to justify the beating that the three foreigners received. There are no so called 'apologists' who condone the Thai violence. However many people (on here and other threads) have pointed out correctly that all three foreigners committed assaults on Thais before any Thais lifted a finger against them. It is perfectly justified for someone to question their judgement and to say that they could (should) have walked away. They instigated the aggression and they escalated the aggression. You would have to be blind, or possibly racist, to deny this.

[humqdpf]

I cannot remember who did it but back in the days when HIV had suddenly increased drastically especially in certain parts of Thailand, the authorities then blamed the publication of the statistics for damaging the image of the country and having an effect on tourism. The fact that a series of governments had ignored the problem for years and had actively shut down any discussion of the problem and done nothing to encourage use of condoms and clean needles was ignored as the real issue. Eventually, the authorities were forced to acknowledge the problem and levels of HIV transmission were dramatically reduced, making Thailand a success story in that regard.

In the same way, the footage of the attack will damage the country, according to the authorities but they ignore the true cause of the damage, which is the attack itself and the belief among certain groups in Thailand that they can do what they like to foreigners because the latter are not related to anyone and have no power in Thailand. Only when the authorities are forced to take on the problem by rapidly falling tourism and business visits will they take on the problem rather than spinning it to the media.

I cannot remember who said that those who ignore history and doomed to repeat it but this is an example.

[Mazungu]

This was a vicious attack but to say it was a random and totally unprovoked attack is untruthful or at least misleading. Unfortunately it was a sad case of accidental bumping that turned into a tragic situation due to poor decisions by everyone involved. There is never a reason to viciously hit anyone when they are down on the ground...especially an old man and an old woman. That said all three tourists in my opinion escalated the situation instead of just walking away when they had opportunities to do so. If you watch the video closely you see the two Thai men walking and arguing before the son bumps into one of them. So the Thai man is already pissed off when he gets bumped and so he then pushes the son...the son unfortunately loses his balance and falls down. The mother then argues with the Thai man and eventually slaps him on the face (she could have walked away or just helped her son to get up). Then there is a melee and it looks to me that the father throws a punch or pushes one of the Thai men (it's hard to see as people are blocking the full view) and the son then restrains the Thai man to keep him from hitting his father (the father and son could have walked away before this scuffle). The father moves away from the crowd and the son releases the Thai man...but the Thai man circles around "to get" the father who had either pushed him or hit him. After that it was an unwarranted vicious assault and the perpetrators should go to jail. But to say the whole situation was an unprovoked random attack by a Thai gang out to attack foreigners for the fun of it is in my opinion not true and doesn't tell the whole story.

I never read anywhere that the Thai's attacked the foreigners just for the 'fun of it' ???

you blame the foreigners for not walking away, they had already pushed their son to the ground,

so why did the Thai's not just walk away ??

and the guy that king hit the woman came running in from out of now where...

I will in no way defend these thugs but let's tell the whole story...or at least don't mislead. Read these articles below and you come away thinking it was a purely random event. Especially with the quotes from the son below.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailand-attack-brit-grandparents-both-7852931

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailand-attack-british-family-vow-7856070

Lewis said he was not sure why they were attacked.

“I didn’t know them, it was just random,” he said.

“It was just out of the blue. None of us were drunk – we had just had a merry night and were going home.”

“I was just walking my mum and dad home when we were set upon.”

And by including the information below in the article you get the impression that the Thais were just targeting Westerners for the 'fun of it.'

'Another person, who claims to have witnessed the assault, posted on a separate forum claiming they overheard a group of Thai men saying they were going to attack "farangs" - a Thai term for Europeans.'

[MockingJay]

"A province spokesman said that the footage was evidential material and was their property and bringing it into the public domain was both damaging to the country and an infringement of rights."

This is THE ultimate evidence showing what deep black hole this country is tumbling towards to... Scary, to say the least!

[gemguy]

If you watch the video over and over again you will finally conclude all those who were involved made matters worse and worse while it escalated further and further until ...well you see the end result.

Meantime at about 2/3rds of the way through the video you can see there is a separate fight occurring close by with several Thai people swinging and pounding on one another and then that breaks up also about the same time all the foreigners are down and out.

Without a doubt, when there is lots of alcohol involved the fights are notably more vicious and brutal.

Good thing no one had a knife or a gun or a club of some sort to make matters worse.

Cheers

[sugarcane24]

The person who leaked it deserves praise. Those who tried to suppress it need shooting.

Yes, but the trouble is that this kind of thing might lead to the 'Land of Smiles' having to be renamed 'Land of Truth'.

[newnative]

Paging Olivia Pope. You are needed for damage control yet again in Thailand.

[jesimps]

Looked like granny started it - she don't be doing that again in a hurry.

That is an incredibly unsympathetic, niaive and distasteful post. What's wrong with some of the 'people' on here?

[ljd1308]

The real crime has now been revealed, now for the real investigation.

[Thechook]

'kin hell ..do they not realise that this will also make the international news

Already has made the Australian news on how the intend to prosecute those who made the incident known and tarnished Thailand's image as a safe holiday destination. Australian news reports they face up to 10 years imprisonment for making this crime known.

[jak2002003]

I read some comments about this video on a Thai site.

I was shocked to see no one talked about the attack or the victims... all the comments were about how bad the person was to leak this video and how it made Thailand look bad!

[rockingrobin]

This was a vicious attack but to say it was a random and totally unprovoked attack is untruthful or at least misleading. Unfortunately it was a sad case of accidental bumping that turned into a tragic situation due to poor decisions by everyone involved. There is never a reason to viciously hit anyone when they are down on the ground...especially an old man and an old woman. That said all three tourists in my opinion escalated the situation instead of just walking away when they had opportunities to do so. If you watch the video closely you see the two Thai men walking and arguing before the son bumps into one of them. So the Thai man is already pissed off when he gets bumped and so he then pushes the son...the son unfortunately loses his balance and falls down. The mother then argues with the Thai man and eventually slaps him on the face (she could have walked away or just helped her son to get up). Then there is a melee and it looks to me that the father throws a punch or pushes one of the Thai men (it's hard to see as people are blocking the full view) and the son then restrains the Thai man to keep him from hitting his father (the father and son could have walked away before this scuffle). The father moves away from the crowd and the son releases the Thai man...but the Thai man circles around "to get" the father who had either pushed him or hit him. After that it was an unwarranted vicious assault and the perpetrators should go to jail. But to say the whole situation was an unprovoked random attack by a Thai gang out to attack foreigners for the fun of it is in my opinion not true and doesn't tell the whole story.

I never read anywhere that the Thai's attacked the foreigners just for the 'fun of it' ???

you blame the foreigners for not walking away, they had already pushed their son to the ground,

so why did the Thai's not just walk away ??

and the guy that king hit the woman came running in from out of now where...

Watch the full video. It is crystal clear that the son stumbled and was not "pushed to the ground" as you state incorrectly.

The Thai guy that hit the mother didn't come "from out of nowhere", he came directly from the clutches of the son who had him in an arm lock. Watch this 16 second segment from the video to see this clearly too and watch the dad swinging a punch in his direction. Mazungu's description was correct.

https://youtu.be/zw4pfwjNis4

Nobody on here has tried to justify the beating that the three foreigners received. There are no so called 'apologists' who condone the Thai violence. However many people (on here and other threads) have pointed out correctly that all three foreigners committed assaults on Thais before any Thais lifted a finger against them. It is perfectly justified for someone to question their judgement and to say that they could (should) have walked away. They instigated the aggression and they escalated the aggression. You would have to be blind, or possibly racist, to deny this.

But why did he hit the woman

[Mazungu]

Why did he hit the woman? Because he's a thug.

[steffi]

The message from the Thai Authorities here is violence against foreigners is ok and we'll do our best to cover it up and punish those who interfere with that.

The Thai Authorities need to realize that they can no longer control the message and the more they try, the more damage they are doing to the country.

You don't have to be a scholar from Chulalongkorn University to see this.

[mankondang]

Re thhe other assault on the young Laos girl by the gang of 8. Can anyone advise me on how and where from that CCTV footage can be shared. FB etc to follow up on the Hua Him incident ? Thanks.

[metisdead]

A post of a conspiratorial nature has been removed as well as an offensive post.

[BritManToo]

Re thhe other assault on the young Laos girl by the gang of 8. Can anyone advise me on how and where from that CCTV footage can be shared. FB etc to follow up on the Hua Him incident ? Thanks.

Click on top left of video for youtube page.

[Brer Fox]

It is just so sad that the intelligentsia of the Thai government can't just suck it up and get on and fix the many policing problems they have. No, instead they have to blame the whistle blower. The admin of Thailand must have an average IQ of about 40.