Yokohama stabbing: Thai man arrested after lethal incident
In a violent escalation of an argument, a 53 year old Thai man has been arrested in Yokohama, Japan, following a stabbing incident that left one Japanese man dead and two others injured. The incident occurred around 7.40pm yesterday after a dispute broke out between the Thai restaurant worker, Rungroj Khwankit, and a group of Japanese men.
The Japanese police were alerted to the Yokohama stabbing incident in the Isesakicho district of the city by a distress call reporting a potential knife fight and a man down.
Upon arrival, they found a man on the ground with stab wounds to the stomach and back. The man was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Rungroj Kwankitsaroj, a Thai national and restaurant worker, was apprehended at the scene on charges of murder. The police believe that the incident may have stemmed from a disagreement over a fallen bicycle in front of a Thai restaurant.
According to witnesses, a group of Japanese men attacked a Thai man, who then took a knife from inside the restaurant and stabbed one of the Japanese men in the right chest and other places.
Two other men were also injured in the incident and were taken to the hospital.
Yokohama stabbing
The news of the Yokohama stabbing gained traction when it was posted on a Japanese news and stories page. A man, claiming to be the victim, posted details of the event.
“Those people were Yakuza. They came swaggering in and kicked the bicycles in front of every Thai restaurant. They came to mine last. They kicked and pushed, and the Japanese customers in the restaurant saw everything.
“I asked them why they kicked my bicycle, and they replied that they hate Thais. They told us to go back to Thailand and close all the restaurants here. They claimed they own the country.”
The situation escalated when the man, who appeared to be the leader, ordered his group to beat the poster. The man claimed that he was outnumbered five to one, reported KhaoSod.
He further stated that the police had witnessed his beating through CCTV footage and that he had been questioned about the incident. He asked for the Thai people’s understanding.
“We are just trying to make a living, and we still get into trouble. Now, a young person from the restaurant has been arrested.”
Follow more of The Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page HERE.
