Briton was brutally beaten by three employees of a bar

A 37-year-old Briton was beaten and severely injured by three bar staff in Pai, north Mae Hong Son Province, for wanting to stop a row in a bar between a group of bar employees and another foreign tourist. The bar's three employees later told the police that the Briton had stood in their way.

The victim is the 37-year-old Luke Benjamin Thornton from England. Luke had sustained a fractured skull, a broken nose, and two bloodshot eyes in the attack by the bar's three employees. He also bled from the mouth when the local paramedics arrived.

The victim was taken to the hospital in Pai by local rescue workers. Here, his wounds were initially supplied by the doctors and sewn with more than 20 stitches. Later, he was taken to the Chiang Mai Hospital in Chiang Mai Province for further treatment by his Thai wife. According to the local press, the seriously injured man is still in hospital.

His Thai wife wishes you to help the media and social networks find justice as she has already been threatened that the other party knows someone inside who can help them with the prosecution.

The incident occurred on May 20, 2019 at 2 o'clock in the morning. The surveillance camera of the tourist police in Pai, have recorded the attack that took place on a public road in front of the Pai Wittiyakarn school. Police in Pai have detained the footage as evidence.

In the beginning, when the fight began, all parties were yelling and beating each other. Other citizens tried to intervene and separate the parties, but the fight went on anyway.

The 3 employees of the bar followed the victim on the street and tried to hurt it further. In a few moments, the three men were also seen as they tried to beat another foreigner in a red tank top. The man in red asked the men not to hurt him, so they beat the victim again.

The victim could no longer avoid the blows and kicks of the attackers and finally went down on the street. Even after the Briton was already badly injured on the street in his own blood, he was still violently violated for more than 30 minutes, according to the Thai media.

The 33-year-old Saifon Petchkrajang, Luke's wife later reported that she herself was not involved in the incident. She later learned that Luke had tried to stop a dispute between a group of bar employees and another foreign tourist. She wants to ask for justice, since she was called after the incident by the other party and told her that they wanted to fight in court because they are well-known to certain people "in the system".

Police colonel Suwan Tanpitak from Mae Hong Son Police visited Luke at the Chiang Mai hospital. Colonel Suwan told the media that the 3 men later reported themselves to the police. Their names are: Anupan Kong Piti, 35 years old, Sanpetch Robert Porter, 29 years old and Kantapong Kongpka, 23 years old.

All three men work in a bar and restaurant in the Pai district. All men were alleged to have committed serious bodily harm with other participants, and all three men are being prosecuted under Thai criminal law, said Colonel Suwan.

The 3 men stated that they were drunk and that Luke had infuriated them by blocking their way down the street. Colonel Suwan also confirmed that there is substantial evidence against the three men, as the incident was largely recorded by the security cameras in the street. The recordings were later also published on Youtube and in the social networks.

The case is filed and prosecuted within 30 days, police said Colonel Suwan. Pai police were also instructed to increase safety for all tourists in order to protect tourists from further attacks.

The "Tourist Help Center" in Chiang Mai and officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MOTS) visited Luke and his wife Saifon at the hospital in Chiang Mai. If the case is within the MOTS criteria, the MOTS will take care of the hospital fees, which should not exceed 500,000 THB. If Luke already has insurance, it will take care of the fees that are higher than the sum insured.

Sources: Thai Residents, Workpoint News, Thailand Tip