Porsche-driving Frenchmen who put Thai man in a coma denied bail

UPDATE

The Porsche-driving Frenchmen who gave a Thai man a brain hemorrhage in Koh Samui, Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, has been denied bail.

Officers from Borphut Police Station arrested 34 year old Vincent Raymond Bugeya and 28 year old Julien Gerard Rene Vincent under suspicion of “joint assault causing serious harm” as well as “driving a car with a red-registration plate at night” according to the Motor Vehicle Act (1979).

Both men are currently detained at Koh Samui District Prison and will face trial at Koh Samui Provincial Court.

As of this morning, 43 year old Somkuan is still in a coma in the ICU. Somkuan’s wife Lakhana told reporters that doctors successfully removed the hemorrhage from his brain. She said Somkuan is in a “stable condition” but is still unresponsive.

Police said alcohol was detected in both Frenchmen’s systems but no drugs were detected.

Vincent Raymond Bugeya travelled to Thailand from Germany on a 30-day tourist visa which expires today, October 18.

Julien Gerard Rene Vincent has a Thai wife and currently holds a one-year marriage visa.

Police said they have asked the Immigration Bureau to investigate the Frenchmen’s business in Thailand.

ORIGINAL STORY

Police arrested two Frenchmen who got out of a Porsche and attacked a Thai man on Saturday night in Koh Samui, Surat Thani province, southern Thailand. The victim suffered a brain hemorrhage and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery. He remains in a coma in the ICU.

At around 9pm, one of the men was caught on camera kicking and punching 47 year Somkuan Songkhot until he fell unconscious. The men got back into the Porsche and drove away.

KhaoSod reports that the victim’s 47 year old wife Lakhana Salao said that her husband picked her up from Central Mall, where she works as a cleaner, before the incident. The couple was driving home on a motorbike when a white Porsche with a red Bangkok registration plate numbered ก-9999 drove past them.

Somkuan asked his wife, “That car is so beautiful, when will we get a car like this?” Then, the couple followed the Porsche for a while to admire its beauty before overtaking it.

Lakhana said the Porsche tailgated their motorbike and honked at them. Feeling scared, they pulled over in front of a grilled pork stall. The driver parked the Porsche in the middle of the road. When Somkuan saw two foreigners, he thought they might be lost. So he walked over and asked, in English, whether they needed any help, said Lakhana.

The Frenchman in the passenger seat got out and attacked Somkuan. He kicked and punched Somkuan in the face, knocking him to the ground. Somkuan hit his head on the concrete and fell unconscious. He was bleeding from the mouth.

It’s unclear from the video whether the topless Frenchman also attacked Somkuan, but both men were jointly charged.

Police arrested a 28 year old and a 34 year old Frenchman who confessed to beating up Somkuan. The men were jointly charged with assault of another person causing serious injury. The Porsche was seized by police.

Somkuan was rushed to Koh Samui Hospital for emergency brain surgery after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He is still in critical condition in the ICU.

The Frenchmen will be prosecuted according to the law.

Watch the video here.