Japanese man attacked in Bangkok for filming smokers in prohibited area
Chinese embassy insists citizens not involved in assault case
A group of foreign men, reported to be Chinese nationals, allegedly attacked a Japanese man at a condominium in Bangkok’s Rama 9 neighbourhood after he filmed them violating the building’s rules by smoking in a prohibited area.
The incident came to light after a video of the assault was shared on the Facebook page รู้ทันจีน News (meaning See Through China) on Monday, August 11. Several leading Thai media outlets subsequently covered the story, seeking justice for the Japanese victim.
In the footage, the injured Japanese man can be seen standing behind a Thai security guard on the ground floor of the condominium. One of the foreign attackers, dressed in a black shirt, points his finger at the victim and stares him down.
A woman, filming the scene, shouts in English at the group to stop shortly before police arrive. The Facebook page alleged that one of the attackers attempted to grab a sign from a nearby food shop to strike the victim, but police arrived just in time to prevent further violence.
The confrontation reportedly began after the group realised the Japanese man was filming them smoking in a prohibited area. The victim was about to show the footage to the security guard when the suspects launched their attack.
The Facebook page also posted a photo showing the victim being treated by the guard, holding a bag of ice to a head wound.
The Japanese man told the page that he feared for his safety and worried the group might return to assault him again.
After the story went viral on Thai social media, many netizens urged police to take action against the attackers and called on the Japanese embassy to pay close attention to the matter.
Yesterday, the official Facebook page of the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok denied that the men in the video were Chinese nationals. The embassy claimed the information was confirmed by Thai police handling the case, but gave no further details regarding the attackers’ nationality.
Police have yet to provide an update on legal proceedings against the group or on any measures being taken to protect the Japanese victim.
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