Thailand attack: British family 'vow never to return' after savage street attack

[Andrew65]

When this kind of thing happens in our Western homelands, (as it does sometimes) do we condemn the whole population/country because of it?

Many millions of people holiday in Thailand every year and have nothing but good times/memories.

[evadgib]

This will continue all the while the punishment fails to fit the crime.

[Mook23]

I was with some friends in Bali the other week and the subject of violence of locals against tourists came up. I asked how many foreign tourists got murdered each year. They had to think very hard and thought it may only be 1 or 2 maximum. Quite different to the Land of Smiles.

Bali has different breed of visitors. Again, these English drunks are trash, and Thailand is popular with trash, cuz trash likes seediness and cheap... The headkick is low (pun intended) but I see an old woman hitting a guy in the face... ? ? ?

[SeniorNice]

I telll all my friends and family not come here because the place is full of savages that should be put down

I had friends thinking of visiting. I've told them the country's gone to the dogs. I filled them in on what happens in Thailand. Needless to say they won't visit & will likely pass on what they've heard. Well done thailand & a huge round of applause to the royal thai police

[Moonsterk]

Just so very many British Tourists on the receiving end.

Very disturbing....

Not sure who started this for real.....but the payback was way over the top.

In fact...in most cases....way over the top.

Just so very many British Tourists on the receiving end.

You noticed that too, huh? I think it has to do with the British culture of oblivion through alcohol. Drunks get beat up, drunks fall down, drunks have a lot accidents that sober people do not.

Drunks are.....drunk.

[concerned]

To all the ThaiVisa commentators advising that people stay away from Thailand, how many of you will follow your own advice and either leave Thailand, or if like most, you don't live here, will never come back to Thailand again ?

Thought so.

I'm leaving next week, haven't bothered to renew my 1 year retirement extension.

See ya !

[oldsailor35]

One thing that is typical and not surprising is how people nearby were watching arms folded. I seen it before in Thailand. When someone is in distress and attacked its a case of "nothing to do with me"

And thats true of women and children attacked. Says something about the place!

That's because Thais know Thais.

They know better than to interfere with the chance of getting badly beaten up by the cowardly gang. They always do this sort of thing in gangs,get into trouble with a Thai and he will suddenly have a pack of mates appear, Thais don't have the guts to fight alone, plus the chance of getting shot !

This sort of behaviour seems to be on the rise, when the word gets around tourists are going to think twice, although young traveller's are still coming to Koh Tao (Death island) when we all know that there just has to be a serial killer running loose on the island. The Brit media should be warning them about this before they leave, perhaps some for ever !

[SeniorNice]

When this kind of thing happens in our Western homelands, (as it does sometimes) do we condemn the whole population/country because of it?

Many millions of people holiday in Thailand every year and have nothing but good times/memories.

In my country that gang would have been set up in by a crowd. They attacked pensioners.

In my country they don't have 3 year old children begging at 4am walking in & out of traffic. If people in my country witnessed that behaviour the child would be protected & the adult directing the child would likely be taken care of.

But this is thailand, a country where the only concern is saving face & taking foreign money. They're welcome to it.

[Dogmatix]

After viewing the video, it is very clear the police spokesman's statement is incorrect. The Owen family did not accidentally bump into any of the thugs at all. They just walked out of the bar and one of the thugs can up behind the son unseen and pushed him hard in the back, causing him to fall over and hit his head on the raised sidewalk. The parents seemed to be asking the thug why he did that for a moment but there are no angry gestures from them. Soon after that point the police edited about 30 seconds from the video, for reasons better known to themselves, and then all three Owens are being mercilessly beaten up, the son having got to his feet again for a moment. It looks like a Thai girl with long hair who tried to intervene was also beaten then picked up and thrown to the ground face first.

What a brave bunch of guys, picking on elderly men and women and attacking them from behind!

I fail to see what the police spokesman hopes to achieve by lying about the incident to make it sound not so bad and passing on the fake apologies from the thugs, when the whole world can see what happened minus the 30 seconds edited out by the police.

[Johnniey]

Btw, is there a death penalty in Thailand? Maybe public execution for people who do this might be a deterrent?

My God, you can't be serious. I hope, for your sake, you're joking.

[oldsailor35]

an utterly disgraceful attack on elderly tourists by angry young Thais who lose some 'face' I can understand some anger and abuse but to carry on the cowardly attack after the couple were on the floor was beyond any explanation or apology and any Thais try and help?

Hang on there ! don't you realise that those poor young Thai guys were drunk, they admitted it themselves, have some consideration.

[tukkytuktuk]

A British newspaper.

[MDS]

I would like to see a fair fight - these 6 Thai tough guys unarmed facing 6 unarmed British paras.

I'm sure one would be enough.

[Andrew65]

I was with some friends in Bali the other week and the subject of violence of locals against tourists came up. I asked how many foreign tourists got murdered each year. They had to think very hard and thought it may only be 1 or 2 maximum. Quite different to the Land of Smiles.

Bali has different breed of visitors. Again, these English drunks are trash, and Thailand is popular with trash, cuz trash likes seediness and cheap... The headkick is low (pun intended) but I see an old woman hitting a guy in the face... ? ? ?

They're actually Welsh people, they might not like being referred to as English! (or as trash!).

Many rich un-trashy people (I know some), like cheap seediness too! They just see the virtue in keeping it secret

Google: Cynthia Payne/Miss Whiplash, and look who her customers were, very untrashy people!

[HLover]

Welsh people have always been nice to me. Sure, they are a little rough around the edges but I never had the desire to kick my friends mum in the face or punch her in the nose.

[Emster23]

For the idiots on the other thread who said the tourists started it, well, no they didn't.

From the paper that cannot be named- 'Pol Col Chaiyakorn said the attack started after "the son accidentally bumped into one of the Thai men".

The drunken Thai lout then threw a punch and mum went to protect her son.

then she had an argument with a thai man and slapped him,

then more argument, more thai men coming (in the vid the woman is standing behind them, I don't know what happened there)

then the husband came and punched one of the thai in the face

and then all hell broke loose ...

I am not saying the Brits deserved what happend then - but they have their part, too

and I say the way the thai scum acted was absolutely despicable,

not fighting from man to man, but running from the side or from behind and ambushing unexpected and unseen from the victim

kicking the head ... scum

Let's say two Thai men were slapped and or punched, and the Brits started it. What about the other 4 Thai men who joined in? Were they afraid two Thai men half the age of the couple couldn't win so joined in the beating? I know it is a silly Western concept to fight one on one, but apologists who seem to think it is just fine if 6 young males attack old man and woman is fair (son was already out of it).... are pathetic at best. Descriptors fail me.

[Alwyn]

I see British clowns and Thai clowns. The kicking while down is wrong but TIT. it's their culture to fight like that and as proven in the clip it's highly efficient...

Yes. they're very efficient as a gang taking out old age pensioners.

[steven100]

Absolutely disgusting. Nothing but SCUM.

It is disturbing that Thai police, government or any Thai personel haven't even questioned why the attacking and kicking in the head to elderly.....

Are these scum just crazy and hate farang that much ?

[tukkytuktuk]

The Daily Telegraph 4 hours ago.

https://t.co/7EQ4Bedp8c

[HLover]

Absolutely disgusting. Nothing but SCUM.

It is disturbing that Thai police, government or any Thai personel haven't even questioned why the attacking and kicking in the head to elderly.....

Are these scum just crazy and hate farang that much ?

This particular lot......yes.

[Dogmatix]

And where is that TAT woman Kobcarn with her apologies.

Or is she hiding under her bed hoping it will all pass away.

Well lady, it doesn't.

She is probably preparing some new initiative to protect tourists like the idea of making them all wear ID bracelets, after the Koh Tao murder case, so they can be identified quicker when found murdered.

I wonder if the thugs will be sued for loss of billions in tourism income like Yingluck is being sued for B500 billion lost in her rice pledging scandal. Elderly tourists will take this incident to heart much more than young backpackers did the Koh Tao murders. Youngsters think they are invincible and that Thailand offers a unique experience, whereas the older tourists who go to Hua Hin are very concerned about safety and just want good value sunny weather for their cash. If Thailand is proven to be dangerous, they can just go to Dubai and get just as lobster red from the sun.

I think Thailand is gong to suffer from a palpable loss of tourism revenue over this one. At least I hope so.

[Lupatria]

Well General, how about putting songwriting and scripts for patriotic soaps aside for a while and go after those vicious gangs for a change?

[antiscam]

Who is paying the hospital bill?

Not the victims I hope.

Tourism Authority of Thailand I guess.

[Thaimike370]

The Thai government must give these attackers severe jail time as it will be widely publicized in the UK papers and will do the Thai tourist industry no good at all. I find Thai people very friendly and peaceful so this attack must be alcohol fueled. In the video one (man) in a black shirt can be seen kicking the woman's head, he should be made an example of and definitely go to prison.

[nemrut]

Doesnt take much for Thai bashers to come out of the woodwork but news like this and they become raving, backseat vigilantes.

For those of you who think Thailand is so dangerous and Thais 'scum of the earth' why not move to Mexico, South America, or even the Philipines?

They practically worship farang there and you'll be treated like a rock star.

[RichardColeman]

The tourist authority made a big impact then ?

[blistering blue barnacles]

For the idiots on the other thread who said the tourists started it, well, no they didn't.

From the paper that cannot be named- 'Pol Col Chaiyakorn said the attack started after "the son accidentally bumped into one of the Thai men".

The drunken Thai lout then threw a punch and mum went to protect her son.

What video are you watching?

If the mother had gone to protect the son, she'd have gone in the opposite direction, as he'd already tripped over his own feet and bit the dust!

Mutha, went for the confrontation!

[mrdome]

Thank goodness the British media and others have well publicized this tragic and brutal attack.

Yes. Let this be a warning to tourists not to push, slap and punch Thai guys because they can be brutal when provoked.

Although some on here may make this out to be excusing the perpetrators, when it really isn't, this is an absolute must and cannot be overstated. "You're not in Kansas anymore" when going to Thailand.

[maccastime]

As I have mentioned on other sites.Songkran at 2am no time for these people to be there.many thais fully drunk.look at the video the farang throws the first punch?I spoke to a mate bar owner who told me the thai lads were arguing amongst themselves.when these farang people stepped in.bad call walk away.why stick your nose in?it could have been worse if a weapon was involved.here's hoping they all recover ok.

[oldsailor35]

the gang was overheard saying they were there to attack farangs.

I wonder if they said it in Thai or English?

If you take the time to read everything you will know

" A farang with his Thai wife/GF was walking along when his wife told him that she heard several Thai youths say they look for farang to bash"

So to put your mind at rest, it was said in Thai !