Dear Editor,
At 7 p.m. yesterday, May 24th inside the gates of Eakmongkol 4 off Soi Khaotalo, I witnessed 2 middle aged foreign men savagely attacked by an initial 4 Thai men in their 30s. One of the foreign men walked from his white sedan only minutes before only 1-2 metres from me and he was clearly not drunk or abusive to anyone.
I have lived here for 14 years and I have seen violence toward, between, or not involving foreigners at all many times before here in Pattaya, but this was different both in intensity and the unarguable racial hatred which motivated the savage and prolonged attack. I speak Thai fluently and I listened to what was being shouted during the assaults, such things if translated eg. Foreign dogs; Thailand for Thais and … your mothers etc., etc.
One of the assailants shouted “Welcome to Thailand” in English as he walked from one unconscious man to the other as he took turns kicking their heads. This became almost a chant among some in the crowd and at least 3 others who weren’t previously involved kicked the men at least three times each.
One of the victims was kicked in the genitals by one of the second group twice and he verbally abused the wife of one of the men calling her a “Whore for foreigners”.
An undercurrent of racism has always existed here in Thailand, particularly in the resort areas of this country. It is now much more prevalent and accepted.
FN: The 10-12 minute assault only subsided when the attackers were warned by a motorbike taxi driver (who was wearing a police scanner on his belt) that the police were near arrival.
FN2: The man who initially said “Welcome to Thailand” returned about 25 minutes later just as the ambulance arrived. He had changed his shirt. I approached one of the police with an elderly Thai lady and we reported the man’s involvement and I pointed out the blood stains which were clearly visible on the man’s feet and knee. The man wasn’t approached by any attending police even when he approached the ambulance and made recordings of the occupants on his telephone. Discraceful!
Mr R. Williscroft
(Soon formally of Pattaya)
