TRANG, March 6 (TNA) – A Swiss man allegedly assaulted a Thai woman at a supermarket in Trang province on Tuesday after she was shoved and warned him to be polite.
The victim identified as Natchanun Khikkham, 53 was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after the 62-year-old Swiss man repeatedly punched her, causing her to suffer from facial trauma and head injuries with a broken nose, fractured right eyebrow, bruising around both eyes.
The perpetrator was detained by police for interrogation lasting approximately 9 hours. Despite the extensive questioning, he remained silent and refused to acknowledge the allegations against him.
Eyewitnesses reported that the woman advised caution and told the foreigner to be polite after being shoved by the foreigner. Ignoring the warning, the man punched her four times and walked away. She then threw a water bottle to him but it didn’t hit him.
Enraged, the foreigner then returned and forcefully pushed the victim, causing her to fall to the ground before punching her several times and using his knee to press against her neck, before fleeing the scene.
The incident left shoppers in shock before he was caught by security guards and the police came. Upon investigation, police discovered that he held a retirement visa, which will expire in November this year.
Despite his refusal to acknowledge the charges of causing bodily harm to others resulting in severe injuries, authorities contacted the Swiss Embassy in Thailand, seeking cooperation in legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Trang Province Sakul Damrongkiat visited the injured victims at the hospital, where medical professionals estimated her recovery time to be no less than a month.
Natchanan expressed bewilderment at the attack, questioning how a foreigner could commit such a crime against a Thai without reason. She emphasized the severity of the assault, particularly when the assailant put his knee on her neck, stating that it was not just an act of violence but an attempt to kill. She urged authorities to pursue the case to the fullest extent. – 819 (TNA)
