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

[khunPer]

Just keeping silent about video-leak – believed it was the Police to find more of those who did the attack – would do less damage to the country; now this story will probably also hit foreign media with more negative response...

[captspectre]

Damaging the image of the country? What DAMAGES the image of the country is letting the scum bags off with a fine because they were drunk instead of putting their cowardly sorry asses in jail!

[SnakeDoctor]

But the elephant-in-the-room in all these threads about the state of things in los, is not what will be done about IT, but how MUCH of IT each of you will take before you decide enough-is-enough, and take the decision to pack up and leave ? There is after all, something deranged about ranting on and on about how awful it all is and at the same time volunteering to remain.

Left 4 years ago, my wife and son loves it in Australia.

I still follow events in Thailand because I have family/friends there.

[RickyJB]

Was it just me or did the rest of you see the mother push her son who fell like a deck of cards then she slapped the The Thai man in the face?

The media title of British family being attacked is nonsense I have walked on Soy Bintabaht probably hundreds of times and never had any problems, this foul mouthed granny thought she was at home in Glasgow where 'a man would never lift his hands". my sympathy would lie with the dad,having to take a grown up son on holiday having to wear that shirt she bought him and having a wife with more testosterone than he has.

Mai kho jai

I too have walked hundreds of times in that area too. And enjoyed living in Thailand for over 15 years. I know it well. Most of the time you are correct, I too, the majority of times, have seen nothing. But I have experienced Songkhran there three times and every time I saw fights and violence. The same night this happened there were other incidents of violence. I know two bar owners, one of whom closed as he could not be doing with the hassle and problems. The majority of people of course were not behaving in that way, but sadly some were. The son you speak of works in Singapore and met his parents in Thailand, as he has done before, for a holiday. They are not as far as I know from Glasgow. But maybe you are right. She was not foul mouthed and many people have come forward and said what nice people they are. So why you choose to be so horrible, I do not know. Tells us more about your personal issues, then about the topic . They were out enjoying themselves and there are photos of them having a nice time with Thai people, smiling.

I think the points a small number of people (most see it as it is) are missing is this was a disgusting act of brutality. There is no excuse for four young guys to beat a family in such a vicious and cowardly way. You don't kick an old lady in the face and do this. Period. No body who has half a brain and any decency in their body, does this. In my part of the world and in most people I know minds, this is just disgusting and the mark of a coward. Someone who has no respect. Idiots to say the least. The majority of people look at them so, too.

The only people to blame are the thugs. I have experienced an older person be rude to me, but I do not hit them.That is of course the lady or any of her family were rude. I doubt very much they were. It is no excuse. Personally I know that area on Songkhran, it was just a bunch of cowardly, young thugs drunk, who have no respect for women or older people. It is they who have brought shame on Thailand and I know most Thai people are disgusted too by their actions. Many of them choosing to apologize on their Facebook pages. Most Thai's think is is as horrible, as we all do. So you must be a tiny minority of people who have some sort of issue yourself. Violence happens all over the world, we all know that, but we are not talking about anywhere else. We are talking about this specific incident.

What I find even more pathetic is to hear the excuse we were drunk. Yes and ? So were millions of other people all over Thailand. They were not beating old people up. No excuse and makes them look even more cowardly. Act like men and take responsibility.

Maybe think before you write, as it is embarrassing for you to let other people see this sort of childish banter.

very good post..It all comes down to the idiots that cant handle their drink, and cant hold their tempers...A lot of thais think and behave like children, temper tantrums come often...They never think about the consequences until after the incident...

[jukai888]

I am truly amazed of what officials sometimes say in response to an incident what puts Thailand under a bad light! What "damaged the country" were the cowardly actions of these lowlife punks who viciously attacked an elderly couple and their son under the pretext of intoxication that is suppose to somewhat excuse and/or mitigate their criminal conduct. Comments by officials like this further fuel the situation that is not in favor of Thailand when they try to assert that the release of this video somehow caused damaged to the country when in fact, "but for" the actions of these sub-humans, this would have never occurred! Instead, it would have been more productive to comment on the pending prosecution of these individuals and their eventual punishment to ensure the public and tourist in Thailand and those planning to visit the Kingdom that this will be harshly dealt with, not an inference of a cover-up that release of the video somehow violated the privacy of the victims. To somehow shift the burden on who ever released the video somehow violated the law is ridiculous and reprehensible! It would be more prudent for the PM to issue an apology to this British family, which would go a long way to repair "any" damage caused by this incident, instead of regional officials trying to claim that the release of this video "damaged the country" when the world is watching how Thailand handles this horrible incident. People are not stupid, so maybe something got lost in translation because when officials make these sorts of ridiculous comments, people start to wonder if the authorities would have even taken this matter as serious as they did to arrest these sub-human scum for prosecution. This clearly damaged the country's imagine more then some other incidents in the News that seems to have the PM's attention... I could go on and on but I'm sure the intelligent members of this forum can see where I am going with all this.

[gemguy]

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.

I did watch the video over and over again about 50 times.

Specifically concerning the part about the drunken Thai guy with the bottle of booze that gave the British guy a shove in the beginning.

For about 7 or 8 or almost 10 seconds you can not clearly see him in the video while it "Looks Like" the son, who was shoved by that drunk Thai man had gotten in behind him and was holding on to him bear hug style....but it is not really clear if that is the guy the son is holding onto from behind.

Then you see the father circle around from the front and comes around to the side and then strikes out with a punch at someone???? ...but you can not clearly see who the father hits or who he was striking at.

I surmise it was the drunken Thai man the son was holding on to from behind.

That is what it looked like to me.

Then, the father comes back around and stands off to the side a little.

Then, you see a guy in a Black shirt with a red color logo on the front come around from the side ( where the father had previously been and throwing the sucker punch ) and then the guy in the Black and red T shirt sucker punches the father from the side.

It is not clear if "That Guy" was the guy the father punched at from the side of the crowd or did that guy decide the father needed to be punched out for punching at the drunken guy held by the son or was the guy in the Black and red shirt the one that was being held by the son and he received a punch from father.

Anyhow That is when the fight really began.

You then see the drunken guy reappear and see the drunken guy stumbling about and not throwing any punches and almost tripping over the Thai people throwing the punches and running about and finally the drunk guy kicks the who is son already down on the ground....as if he was entitled to be the one to end the whole affair.

I was thinking the whole affair reminded me of a Charlie Chaplin episode where drunken Charlie creates chaos but comes out unscathed and unknowingly started the whole affair.

Just bizarre if ever there was.

[happy chappie]

This attack is only the tip of the iceberg.if it wasn't caught on video then it would of been swept under the carpet.now it's going to go viral that they want the person who exposed Thailand for what the country is really like.the place is infested with drugs,mugs and thugs.

[sweatalot]

There should be more leaks.

This country needs leaks everywhere - if they want to evolve instead of running into desaster

[schvonsky1]

The thugs damaged the country

The county is sht anyway horrible devious Thai scum just prey on the foreigner all the time it's always the foreigner fault will this family get compensation no <deleted> way imagine if was the other way round millions of baht they wud want so <deleted> mad with these people who would not intervene and help a family rot in hell u bazards

[connda]

Leaking Hua Hin attack footage "damaged the country"

I beg to disagree. Your out-of-control, over-react at the slightest provocation and then group beat tourists close to death is what "damaged the country." The fact that this plays out repetitively in Thailand meant that it was only a matter of time that it got caught on tape and shocked the world with an unconscionable act that plays out many times a year. Well, that and the fact that knocking a 65 year old women unconscious and then kicking her to the head while shes dazed on the ground and causing a life-threatening fluid build-up in her brain which could have kill her -- that's what 'damaged the country.' If it was just the son and father, it may have caused a minor reaction. But hammering the women and then savagely administering a life-threatening kick is morally reprehensible in the eyes of most Westernize countries and people, including myself.

Time for Thailand to admit to it's faults and then clean up their own 'dirty laundry.'

[sweatalot]

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?

if she didn't start it she did escalate it remarkably

[jukai888]

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?

I agree... to somehow blame "granny" for starting the entire incident is not only a distasteful post... but completely ignorant of the person who made this comment who seems to somehow trying to justify the actions of these lowlifes for beating an old lady and her family almost to death! I wonder how many old women this poster most have beaten in his life to even infer that an elderly woman was the main perpetrator of the entire incident... must have been made by the same person who said that release of the video "damaged the country"

[gemguy]

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!

Well there you go.

Everyone living here, sooner or later, learns how the Thai people think and their overall collective mentality.

Seemingly they are more concerned about their image rather than figuring out how to solve problems that give them a bad image and the loss of face that comes with it and if they could solve the problems their efforts would really make them look good when and if they solve the problems.

But they do not think that way....

Meantime it seems the prevalent collective mentally is based on how to go about doing what ever suits them, regardless of how bad what they are doing really is, while doing their best at not losing face.....especially when they get caught out.

Sort of like reverse mentality, while here in the East is opposite of the West...so not the same .....understand...lol

Cheers

[sweatalot]

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

Oh so I suppose that justifys a thai flying kick... sick in the head ........Thai boy on booze.....Perhaps we should warn all grannies and grandpas not to come to Thailand and visit the neighbouring countries which are much safer and friendly and hospitable.... Thailand you amaze me.... Grinning lot....

No, it does not justify their actions - but is makes clear those Brits and in particula this woman have their guilty part in the story, too

[Shadychris]

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

Oh so I suppose that justifys a thai flying kick... sick in the head ........Thai boy on booze.....Perhaps we should warn all grannies and grandpas not to come to Thailand and visit the neighbouring countries which are much safer and friendly and hospitable.... Thailand you amaze me.... Grinning lot....

Of course this incident is a great opportunity for all the Thai bashers on here to rub their hands in glee and tell the world how unsafe Thailand is - and making out that such things only happen in Thailand because only Thais are nasty vicious people - the rest of us are all civilised..

Sadly people being stamped on, and even kicked to death while they are on the floor is something that can\does happen even in some of the allegedly 'safe' western countries....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-20334/British-soldier-kicked-death-disco-attack.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3053975/Shocking-moment-drunken-soldiers-including-Buckingham-Palace-guardsman-carried-horrifying-assault-victim-s-head-stamped-18-TIMES-avoided-jail.html

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/9/man-sentenced-to-12-years-for-kicking-homeless-man/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3535930/Youngest-British-soldier-serve-Afghanistan-aged-18-killed-home-leave-attacked-drunk-thugs-left-street-die-shook-hands.html

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/apr/29/brothers-murder-santee-homeless/

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/7061615/Teen-gang-sent-out-hoods-up-order-before-kicking-young-man-to-death.html

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/11/homeless-man-dies-after-months-in-coma-from-savage-black-mob-beating-at-philly-gas-station/

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kevin-bennett-murder-three-boys-1833684

That's just the tip of the iceberg - a result of 5 minutes searching of English language news media. No doubt I could fill this whole page with such links given an hour or so.

What I find ironic is that these cases occurring in other countries fail to raise as much outrage and international publicity as this current case in Thailand has..

[BritManToo]

What I find ironic is that these cases occurring in other countries fail to raise as much outrage and international publicity as this current case in Thailand has..

It's because they aren't racist attacks on elderly female holidaymakers.

Places promoting themselves as family holiday resorts are supposed to be safe.

[sandrabbit]

Was it just me or did the rest of you see the mother push her son who fell like a deck of cards then she slapped the The Thai man in the face?

The media title of British family being attacked is nonsense I have walked on Soy Bintabaht probably hundreds of times and never had any problems, this foul mouthed granny thought she was at home in Glasgow where 'a man would never lift his hands". my sympathy would lie with the dad,having to take a grown up son on holiday having to wear that shirt she bought him and having a wife with more testosterone than he has.

Mai kho jai

There has been no report of this in the Scottish press, why? 1.30 am drunk tourist attacks a Thai national while he and his friends celebrated Thai ney year.

There has been no report of this in the Scottish press, why?

Probably because she was from Wales

they're Scottish, moved to Wales ............

[jukai888]

I'm glad to see that you agree that you are not trying to justify their actions... however, I take issue that with your assertion that an elderly woman action are somehow responsible for what happened. Nothing can justify a 20 year old, or 32 years old sub-human trash for viciously attacking an old woman... only a coward would do this and you seem to blame this elderly woman which is irresponsible because I didn't any Thai sub-humans near death on the ground... only an elderly woman and her family on the ground. Even if an elderly woman had hit one of these pieces of crap... there is still no justification for what transpired... unfortunately your inferences are in poor taste and I am sure a majority of the members on this forum would agree with me. This shouldn't be a Thai v. Foreigner because nothing can justify what these scumbag punks did regardless on whether they are Thai, British, American, etc... this was unconscionable crime with no mitigating factors in favor of the prepatrators

[seasia]

But the elephant-in-the-room in all these threads about the state of things in los, is not what will be done about IT, but how MUCH of IT each of you will take before you decide enough-is-enough, and take the decision to pack up and leave ? There is after all, something deranged about ranting on and on about how awful it all is and at the same time volunteering to remain.

Hi

I`ve lived here 7 years, holidayed for far longer.

I`ve enjoyed my time and also have met good Thais ( most of them ).

I don`t like the changes I am seeing.

I`ve some " baggage ' in the form of a Thai partner of 6 + years, a poor description I`ll admit.

Other than neighbouring SE Asia countries which we have visited together, she has not seen much of the world.

Not rushing but planning to introduce her to a different part of the world, in my case that would be UK/Europe.

Not saying they are perfect at all but they are different.

Whilst I don`t actually plan to abandon Thailand, I would like to reduce my time here.

Not as a result of this attack, it`s been on my mind for a while.

This incident spurs me on a little, that`s all.

[Shadychris]

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

Oh so I suppose that justifys a thai flying kick... sick in the head ........Thai boy on booze.....Perhaps we should warn all grannies and grandpas not to come to Thailand and visit the neighbouring countries which are much safer and friendly and hospitable.... Thailand you amaze me.... Grinning lot....

No, it does not justify their actions - but is makes clear those Brits and in particula this woman have their guilty part in the story, too

Exactly.

Sadly the scenes depicted in that video are commonplace to be seen late on a Friday or Saturday night in towns and cities around the world.

[wellred]

Just imagine if all the grisly incidents we read about every day here were captured on CCTV. The tourism industry would grind to a halt over night.

[jukai888]

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

Oh so I suppose that justifys a thai flying kick... sick in the head ........Thai boy on booze.....Perhaps we should warn all grannies and grandpas not to come to Thailand and visit the neighbouring countries which are much safer and friendly and hospitable.... Thailand you amaze me.... Grinning lot....

No, it does not justify their actions - but is makes clear those Brits and in particula this woman have their guilty part in the story, too

I'm glad to see that you agree that you are not trying to justify their actions... however, I take issue that with your assertion that an elderly woman action are somehow responsible for what happened. Nothing can justify a 20 year old, or 32 years old sub-human trash for viciously attacking an old woman... only a coward would do this and you seem to blame this elderly woman which is irresponsible because I didn't any Thai sub-humans near death on the ground... only an elderly woman and her family on the ground. Even if an elderly woman had hit one of these pieces of crap... there is still no justification for what transpired... unfortunately your inferences are in poor taste and I am sure a majority of the members on this forum would agree with me. This shouldn't be a Thai v. Foreigner because nothing can justify what these scumbag punks did regardless on whether they are Thai, British, American, etc... this was unconscionable crime with no mitigating factors in favor of the prepatrators

[Dumbastheycome]

It is hard to comprehend why the release of the cctv footage can be considered any sort of offence ! It alters nothing in the factual events unless it can be proven that it was tampered with. But at the same time trying to make this something that can/ does only occur in Thailand is ridiculous. As happens internationally cctv or other verified video of events surface to the great objections of interested parties for a variety of reasons.

The greater damage is when those objections detract from the reality of the grossness of the events and the social justice outcome.

There need be an unambiguious application of existing Thai law applied and the inevitable severist outcome made very public.

Failure to do so would be of greater damage and failure of massive protest in the event of that should be mandatory!

[Darren palmer]

The attack damaged the country , not the video

[wellred]

The attack damaged the country , not the video

True, but the public may never have seen the video had it not been leaked. That's what the Thai officials are angry. Loss of face.

[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.

Click on top left of video for youtube page.

Thanks. However, I cannot find on YouTube the video, that is on this TV site, of the Lao girl being attacked by the gang of 8. Only the one of the Hua Him attack. Any suggestions. Thanks

[Shadychris]

What I find ironic is that these cases occurring in other countries fail to raise as much outrage and international publicity as this current case in Thailand has..

It's because they aren't racist attacks on elderly female holidaymakers.

Places promoting themselves as family holiday resorts are supposed to be safe.

Wake up and smell the coffee will you...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/5502823/Thugs-knock-man-unconscious-in-Blackpool-street-attack.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/violent-attack-left-teenager-horrific-5334819

http://stv.tv/news/west-central/1329526-elderly-mother-and-daughter-hurt-in-violent-and-unprovoked-attack/

http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Arrests-high-heeled-stilettos-used-weapons/story-29110566-detail/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/welsh-thugs-attack-pensioner-on-bus-then-return-to-steal-his-bags_uk_56f3a818e4b04aee1b6ffa1c

All the above just a few examples coming from areas that promote themselves as 'family holiday resorts'

I'll set aside the fact that you describe the incident in Hua Hin as a racially motivated attack, as there is no evidence of that whatsoever.

However I'm confident I could find plenty of cases of 'proven' racist attacks occurring in other countries. And yes even at 'safe' holiday resort regions such as those referenced in the links above.

We live in a violent world.

A lot of young people worldwide are brought (dragged up) nowadays with very little discipline, no sense of respect (unless you 'diss' them) and police forces worldwide are ever diminishing in numbers pro rata to the population expanding. Add alcohol to that recipe and this is the result - and yes even in holiday resorts, regardless of your age or sex.

[PskRick]

And here-in lies the problem with Thailand. They don't see it as a problem with the thugs hitting an old lady - they view it as a problem of the VDO being leaked. Their #1 source of income is Tourism - if they don't protect that industry they will fail. And you don't protect the industry by hiding the truth - you protect that industry by making it a safe place to visit. And while they probably couple not have stopped this (Short of having police presence there to begin with) - but they surely can make an example of these thugs with harsh punishment and highly publicize what happens when you threaten the golden goose.

[mrfaroukh]

Amazing more worried about the leakage of the video than punish those responsible for such a horrible tragedy in a proper way so that no one else dare do that.

[Time Traveller]

God damn farangs and their social media. Time for a new crackdown on farangs posting stuff on the web. A few 15 year jail sentences for anyone disclosing the truth about Thailand will sort these evil foreigners out.