Rouble trouble: Russian woman fined for assaulting pregnant Thai
The violent Russian woman who blamed her period for assaulting a pregnant Thai woman in Koh Pha Ngan has been fined 500 baht and handed a suspended 15-day jail sentence. Immigration authorities in Surat Thani are deliberating whether to revoke her visa due to the criminal offence.
Alena Kupriyanova, the Russian woman in question, confessed to kicking the shop owner, who is eight months pregnant, on Monday out of frustration after being asked to remove her shoes before entering a coffee shop.
The pregnant shop owner opted to file charges against the 41 year old Russian woman to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Kupriyanova cited menstruation as the reason for her behaviour on that day, claiming it had affected her mood. Her Thai visa was reported to be valid until May 22, reported Bangkok Post.
This incident marks the latest in a series of reports detailing misbehaviour by tourists. Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul downplayed public concerns regarding a perceived rise in such incidents, asserting that foreigners who violate Thailand’s laws will face prosecution.
He referenced a recent case in which two New Zealand brothers were prosecuted and subsequently had their visas revoked after assaulting a police officer in Phuket.
“Visa revocation is decided on a case-by-case basis and not that every foreigner who breaks the law will end up being deported.”
Statistics gathered by the Royal Thai Police from October of last year until this month indicate that 614 foreigners have been subject to legal proceedings for committing crimes in Thailand. Of these, 98 people have been deported as a result.
In many instances, police have noted that these foreigners have faced prosecution for employing nominees to hold shares on their behalf in companies established with concealed intentions to provide work permits to other foreigners.
Picture courtesy of Facebook/ Satika OzUPDATE: Russian woman blames period for assault on pregnant Thai shopkeeper
A Russian woman accused of assaulting a pregnant Thai shopkeeper on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, located in the province of Surat Thani, claimed that she did it because she was on her period. The woman, identified as Alena, was escorted to court today, March 20, by local Thai police. The authorities are considering requesting the immigration bureau to revoke her visa.
The alleged assault took place in a nearby coffee shop, situated next to an organic vegetable store owned by the complainant, 34 year old Ploy. The expectant mother, now in her eighth month of pregnancy, accused Alena of kicking her in the right groin, prompting her to report the incident to the police.
Subsequently, Alena was charged under Section 295 of the Criminal Code for assault leading to physical and mental harm. The repercussions of this offence could include a prison sentence of up to two years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.
While being escorted to Koh Samui Provincial Court, Alena was accompanied by a male compatriot. She disregarded any questions from the press and seemed disturbed when pictures were taken of her before she entered a police vehicle.
According to Ploy, the incident occurred around 1pm on March 18 when Alena entered the store, disregarding the no shoes policy indicated on the door sign. Ploy alleges that despite being asked in English to remove her shoes, Alena disregarded the request and subsequently kicked her twice in the right leg before exiting the store.
The police were promptly notified and were able to locate Alena and bring her to Koh Pha Ngan Police Station to face charges. During questioning, Alena allegedly admitted to the assault and offered an apology to Satika. She claimed her aggressive behaviour was due to her being on her period.
Surat Thani Police Chief, Police Major General Sermphan Sirikhong, has ordered his team to pursue the case and press charges. The victim will be provided with assistance as per the law, and the immigration office in Surat Thani will be petitioned to consider revoking Alena’s visa.
Ploy recollected that there were two other foreign customers present in the store when the incident occurred. She reiterated that she had asked Alena to remove her shoes as she sells organic herbal products and wanted to maintain cleanliness. She was taken aback by Alena’s violent response and instinctively shielded her stomach, given her advanced pregnancy. She accepted Alena’s apology but insisted on letting the police handle the case to avoid a recurrence of such incidents.
ORIGINAL STORY: Pregnant Thai woman seeks justice after Russian assault in Koh Pha Ngan
A pregnant Thai woman turned to social media for justice after a Russian woman kicked her yesterday at a coffee shop in Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani.
The Thai victim, known only as Ploy, shared pictures of the Russian woman with blonde hair on a Facebook group called Facebook Koh Pha Ngan, yesterday, March 18. In her post, she stated…
“This Russian woman physically assaulted me, an eight-month-pregnant woman, by kicking me. Does anyone know her or where she stays? Please inform me if you meet this woman. I will never give up on taking legal action against her.”
Later, Ploy discovered the Russian woman’s Instagram account and shared it in the group. According to her bio, the foreigner claimed to be an actress, model, and designer based in Koh Pha Ngan. However, her Instagram account was later set to private, and all bio information was deleted.
Ploy later revealed to Channel 3 that she owns an organic vegetable shop on the island, located next to the coffee shop where the incident took place.
On the day of the incident, the Russian woman entered the coffee shop wearing her shoes, despite warnings from other local customers and a sign outside that she had to take them off before entering the establishment.
Vulgar language
Ploy noticed that the Russian woman seemed to have difficulty understanding the Thai language spoken by the locals. Deciding to help, Ploy approached and explained about the shoes in English. However, the Russian woman responded with vulgar language, prompting Ploy to ask her to leave.
Following the request to leave, the Russian woman became enraged and kicked Ploy in the groin. Ploy, who was eight months pregnant, feared for her unborn child as the kick narrowly missed her abdomen.
Subsequently, the Russian woman left the shop without offering any apologies. Ploy then complained to Koh Pha Ngan Police Station, providing CCTV footage of the incident as evidence.
Ploy told Channel 3 that the Russian woman’s boyfriend tried to seek help from a local politician in the province to evade charges. However, Ploy insisted that she would not drop the charges, saying the incident insulted her dignity as a Thai resident.
Authorities from Koh Pha Ngan and the Immigration Office reportedly identified the woman and planned to summon her for questioning. They also intended to review her visa status, as some netizens suggested she might be working in Thailand without permission.
