Intoxicated man attacks hospital guard with knife in Chaiyaphum

A middle-aged man, angry and intoxicated, attacked a security guard at Phu Khiao Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital in Chaiyaphum, leading to a dramatic confrontation involving a knife. Police quickly apprehended the suspect and charged him with multiple offences.

The incident occurred at the hospital’s exit, where a man in an orange shirt and jeans engaged in a heated argument with the hospital security guard. The confrontation escalated when the man pushed the guard’s left arm, prompting the guard to retaliate by pushing the man’s chest and punching his arm. A scuffle ensued, and the man in the orange shirt, realising he was outmatched, retreated to his red pickup truck parked at the hospital exit.

Grabbing a sharp kitchen knife from his vehicle, the man charged back towards the security guard, who quickly fled into the hospital for safety. The assailant, undeterred, pursued him inside.

Fortunately, the man’s friend, who had earlier tried to mediate the situation, intervened once again. He managed to pull the attacker back and they both fled in the pickup truck.

Later, Wongsakorn Phukhot, a legal officer, accompanied Wiwat Daorueng, the 57 year old security guard involved, to file a report with Police Lieutenant Chaiyaphat Srimongkhun of the Phu Khiao police station. Investigators and patrol officers were dispatched to the scene to gather information and track down the suspect.

Witnesses, including locals and hospital staff, provided crucial details that led the police to identify the suspect as 38 year old Chaowarit Naoolo, from Olo Village, Phu Khiao. He was found driving a black Suzuki motorcycle with a sidecar, without a licence plate, and displaying signs of intoxication. Police apprehended him on a public road near a local restaurant.

Hospital attack

Upon searching him, officers found a 28-centimetre-long knife. A breathalyser test revealed his blood alcohol level was 318 milligrams per cent, well above the legal limit. Chaowarit confessed to the attack, stating that he was drunk and became enraged when the security guard instructed him to move his vehicle, which was blocking the hospital exit. He claimed the guard punched him first, provoking his violent response.

Wiwat recounted the events, explaining that he was performing his duties at the hospital exit when the suspect parked his vehicle in a way that obstructed traffic. When Daorueng asked him to move the vehicle, the suspect became aggressive, leading to a physical altercation. After being punched, the suspect retrieved a knife and chased Daorueng, who had to flee into the hospital for safety.

Police charged Chaowarit Naoolo with three serious offences: disturbing the peace and threatening a security officer with a weapon, carrying a knife in public without a valid reason, and driving a motorcycle while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level far exceeding the legal limit. He faces legal proceedings for his actions, reported KhaoSod.

Hospital officials emphasised the severity of the incident, noting that such violent acts in a public space like a hospital could have far-reaching emotional and psychological impacts on patients and their families. The event caused significant distress among patients, with some experiencing worsened symptoms due to the shock and fear generated by the altercation.