Chiang MaiCrime

British man with a machete in Chiang Mai temple arrested

A British man was arrested in Chiang Mai after brandishing a machete at Wat Eranthawan, a temple in the south of the northern city. Clive George Davidson was arrested by police after a stand-off while taking him into custody and is being charged with multiple crimes.

CCTV footage shows 50 year old Davidson getting out of his car and pacing around the temple with the machete, following a monk to the doorway before beginning to walk away and doubling back again. Abbot Phra Khajonsak retreated into the temple, locked the door, and then called the police for help.

Davidson’s visa had expired and a small amount of marijuana was found in his car. He has not officially confessed to the crime, though he reportedly admitted it was him holding the machete in the video at the temple. Police found him in his home in Hang Dong, and video footage appeared to show him rolling a joint or cigarette while police look in the window and try to convince him to come out. After a 4-hour stand-off, police left to obtain an arrest warrant.

He’s being charged with possession and use of an illicit substance, overstaying his visa, trespassing, and criminal mischief.

No motive has been confirmed for the attack on the temple, but a disturbance in a neighbour’s home involving Davidson was reported before he headed to the temple. The British man reportedly said that he just wanted to talk to the monk. In video footage during his arrest, Davidson could be heard complaining about the police corruption and that they smashed his window and tried to force open the door. He also alluded to being tired, possibly of corruption in the village or some alleged harassment.

“I went to the wat and said, ‘I am tired, I want to… leave me alone or I want to kill myself.’ I was not talking to the monk. I was just saying I’m tired.”

SOURCE: Coconuts

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

41 Comments

  1. @sydney, did you also make stupid comment when a someone who looked like u from Australia was arrested today ? Stupid trump imbeciles., I didn’t see ur stupid comments when a yellow man like u been misbehaving lately.

    As for the Brits he must be expelled from the country , we don’t want crazy people here.

  2. There has been more comments in 1 hour for a black British man arrested while an Australian arrested earlier for drug dealing only has 1 comment , lol.

    You like making other look bad Indian. Chinese, blacks but ur more bad then they’re.

  3. No don’t expel him. The British do not want him back.
    We have enough crazys already to deal with, and all the courts give them is soft sentences in mental hospitals.
    Five years in among the Thai villains in jail here will modify his attitude.

  4. @Leppard –

    Englishmen look white in general.

    But a British person can be any colour or combination.

    Asian-British, African-British etc.

    But we all have the same rights of course, it works both ways as an African-British person would feel insulted if you called him English.

    But whatever you do do not call a Scottish/Welsh/Northern-Irish person who are of course British, do not call them English as they will kick you up the arse.

  5. Some interesting comments here. “Since when do how you look determine your nationality”. Well it does in Thailand. If you don’t look Thai then you are brushed aside as a outsider. @Sarah w, I agree. All these people who areAfrican Americans are Asian British. They always drop the African or Asian part when the Sh*t hits the fan and they need the influence and safe legal systems of the U.S or the U.K. to bail out their arses from places like Thailand. Make up your mind. Are you African or American? Asian or British. I’m sure this guy is carrying a British passport and could very well be as British as I am. That doesn’t matter one bit to me. He’s a criminal and should be treated as such irrespective of his nationality.

  6. He would be one of those Pommy vaxxing nuffers who are bleating for a jab of poison, thinking it will protect them from the covid boogey man!! Aren’t you lot in for a shock! Baaaaahaaaaa!!

  7. @Nigel – what do you mean they drop that “asian” or “african” part when s*it hits the fan? How come white people never even have an “english” or “french” or “european” prefix wherever they migrate to? Suddenly they’re “Australian” or “American” and the real Australians and Americans become “natives”. Hypocrite.

  8. @Gosport – Thailand should expel incognito wumaos like you. Who, let’s face it, are sometimes arrested in Thailand by the busload with expired visas and dealing in some scamming operation.

  9. @Joe , despite people like you not up to 17% of the worlds population, your imbeciles have committed most atrocities all over the world , killing innocent civilians because of your scams , creating phony wars to cheat other nations , your scamming forefathers did it and still going on to feed your ppl., next time don’t make stupid comments like Djt.

  10. Nobody mentions his remarks, which seem to be the reason for his behavior. I lived 16 years in Thailand and can understand quite well how one can be “tired”. Life in Thailand is not all sunshine and drinks on the beach. Dealing with Thai employers, business partners, neighbors or girlfriends and their families can drive you crazy. I heard dozens of wild stories about foreigners doing hughly unusual things because they were lost in a world they couldn’t deal with.
    I’m not excusing running around with a machete, but I am not surprised. It took me years back home to actually get a grip on all the negative things that happened during the time I lived there.
    All I’m saying is some go nuts, some get suicidal, some get out of TH in time.

  11. @Klaus Zelm –

    That is why it is a great place for long holidays, then go back home to reality.

    Holiday equals money for nothing and the chicks for free.

    Live there, money all gone and the chick has taken it all and your house.

  12. What’s funny is that when a yellow men commit heinous crimes the yellow men online quickly claim mental health, lol this so called yellow men or white r hypocrites.

    A man Carries a rifle kills 50 innocnet people , then on fux new n social media claim mental health lies . Lol

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