21 year old arrested over assault on 82 year old following Facebook campaign
A young motorcyclist surrendered to police last night (Wednesday) evening following a Facebook campaign, which saw a reward of 60,000 baht being raised for his arrest, after he was recorded on video kicking and hitting an elderly man in Bangkok.
21 year old Narathorn Sodetiyung reportedly admitted that he had assaulted 82 year old Jaroon Maneephan after the latter knocked his motorcycle down with his push-cart tricycle and tried to flee the scene. The incident happened on Tuesday evening in the Din Daeng area of Bangkok.
However, footage from a security camera seemed to contradict Narathorn’s claim. In the clip, Jaroon is seen pedalling his cart, which he uses to collect garbage for sale, and the motorcyclist swerves, grazing the cart and falls.
The clip showed that the motorcyclist was reading his mobile phone at the time of the accident, causing him to stray to the right.
The footage showed Jaroon pause to look at the motorcyclist briefly before pedalling on. The motorcyclist is then seen running after Jaroon, who paused again, and then kicking him in the chest and punching him, sending the elderly man to the ground.
The motorcyclist then is seen repeatedly kicking the old man on the ground before another man pulled him away and he fled the scene.
https://www.facebook.com/queentogetherisone/videos/1222467937856372/
Video from @queentogetherisone re-posted with permission
People in the neighbourhood took Jaroon, who was unconscious, to Ratvithi Hospital. His daughter, Wanida Maneephan, said he was in stable condition.
The clip of incident was posted on a popular Facebook page @queentogetherisone on Wednesday, generating more than 2.3 million views by Thursday morning. It has been shared more than 77,800 times with in excess of 78,000 reactions.
Most of the more than 10,000 comments condemned the motorcyclist. One Facebook user offered a reward of 60,000 baht to anyone providing information for his arrest, while other Facebook users provided information to identify the motorcyclist.
Narathorn subsequently he turned himself in to Huay Kwang police.
He has been charged with physically and mentally injuring another person.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Nation
