An argument between two Turkish former business partners turned bloody when one allegedly stabbed the other to settle the quarrel over an ice cream freezer.
Cihan Cakmak, 31, suffered serious stab wounds to the neck and chest in the March 25 incident at a Turkish ice cream shop near the intersection of Second and South roads.
Police arrested Semih Bele on assault charges after he stabbed his friend.
Semih Bele, 26, was taken away to face charges, but not before Cakmak tried to rush him in retaliation for the attack, sending Bele running for cover and police in pursuit. Cakmak was then taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The two men gave different accounts of how the argument began, with the suspect saying that he and Bele used to be close friends and partners in the ice cream parlor. However, he had left to open a similar shop at the Krathinglai elephant camp and, in doing so, was accused by Cakmak of stealing an ice cream freezer.
Cakmak set up a meeting between the two men, with two Turks present as witnesses. The talks began with friendly beers, but rapidly devolved into shouting, fisticuffs and, finally, Bele pulling a knife in self-defense.
The victim said the argument was over 50,000 baht he had given Bele to help secure a visa extension, as his former friend claimed to have a source at the Immigration Department that would speed through the renewal. However, the visa never came through and the money was not returned.
Despite the different accounts, police booked Bele on assault charges.
