Killer cobbler

PATHUM THANI: As anyone who remembers the case of the football fan shot dead in Pattaya for cheering too loudly while watching Italy’s opening match of the 2006 world cup will know, the tragi-comic overreaction is something of a staple in the Thai press.

One unfortunate fellow fell victim to this trend on July 11, receiving far more than he deserved for complaining about shoddy workmanship.

The incident came to light at 11:30 am when police were called to Krung Siam St Carlos Hospital in Pathum Thani, where they were met by Sachakhri Anussarawat, 45, a lecturer at a well-known university and advisor to an export company.

Khun Sachakhri was in a sorry state with most of his hair shaved off and a large needle sticking out of his head.

He was about to be wheeled to the operating theater to have the needle removed from his skull.

He told police that in the morning that he had taken his shoes to be repaired at a little stall under an overpass on the Pathum Thani-Rangsit highway.

When the work was finished, K. Sachakhri was less than pleased with what he felt was shoddy workmanship and told the stall holder as much.

The young cobbler Charoen, however, did not take criticism of his craftsmanship lightly and an argument broke out.

The cobbler, unable to contain his rage, grabbed a needle used for threading soles, ran round from behind his stall and rammed it full force into K. Sachakhri’s head before showing a clean pair of heels and fleeing at full speed, abandoning his business.

The stunned K. Sachakhri, still conscious despite the needle wedged in his skull, hailed a taxi and asked to be rushed to hospital, from where the police were called.

Dr Phatrawit Ratkul, who operated on K. Sachakhri, said that the needle was wedged two centimeters into the skull.

K. Sachakhri was lucky that the tip of the needle was slightly bent otherwise it would likely have gone right into his brain and killed him, Dr Phatrawit added.

Police are now hunting for Charoen, who is 25 to 30 years old.