Turkish man assaults older Thai man in Pattaya, resulting in serious head injury (video)
A Turkish man assaulted an older Thai man in Pattaya, resulting in a serious head injury. The incident occurred on Pattaya‘s Walking Street on April 18, known as ‘Wan Lai‘ or ‘Flowing Day,’ at around 3am.
The Turkish man, 28 year old Mustafa, appeared in video footage to head-butt and shove 61 year old Chadayut, who poured on him during the Songkran festivities. Shocked witnesses saw the incident, and rushed in to help Chadayut.
Chadayut hails from Songkhla, and is a well-known parking attendant at a restaurant on Walking Street, The Pattaya News reported. He now suffers from a severe head injury and has been admitted to a local hospital, with doctors estimating a mere 30% chance of recovery, said Pattaya Police Chief Colonel Sompong Poethi.
Col. Sompong mentioned that Mustafa might not have comprehended the Thai Songkran culture, which involves being doused in water, and became furious as a result.
However, this excuse has been deemed unlikely by social media critics, as Mustafa was shirtless and dressed for water play at the time of the incident. Furthermore, the Pattaya Walking Street had been declared a certified water zone, with thousands of people engaged in water battles and festive activities taking place on the same night. Only a few dozen feet away, stages were set up where large crowds played with water and DJs entertained the crowd.
Witnesses claimed that Mustafa had also taken part in the water festivities earlier, making it practically impossible for him to be unaware of the surrounding customs. Mustafa, who has resided in Pattaya for one year, was detained following the incident and now faces charges of assault causing severe injury, as per Col. Sompong.
Witness testimonies reportedly told the police that Mustafa had been involved in numerous altercations during the Songkran festivities. They alleged that he attacked a French couple with a bottle, which the Pattaya police is also investigating. Additionally, he supposedly had a conflict with a cannabis shop on Walking Street, resulting in damage to the premises and sparking potential legal action. Nonetheless, the Pattaya police is still investigating these allegations, and a definite timeline of events has yet to be established.
Mustafa has not provided a statement to the press regarding the alleged incidents, nor is it known if he has acquired legal assistance or determined his plea regarding the charges. Updates will be provided as Mustafa’s statements are released or further information becomes available.
