Singaporean man attacked by Chinese businessman in Bangkok
A Singaporean man sought help from a well-known lawyer after Thai police ignored an attack by a Chinese businessman in Bangkok six months ago. The Singaporean alleges police are ignoring the assault because the Chinese man has financial and political influence.
The Singaporean man named Tony urged the Thai lawyer, Ronnarong Kaewphet, to help him follow up on the assault case that he filed at the Sa Mae Dam and Tha Kham Police Stations six months ago.
According to Tony, he and his friends were dining and drinking alcohol with the Chinese businessman at a restaurant in the Sa Mae Dam neighbourhood in the Bang Khun Thian district of Bangkok on September 14 last year.
As the night progressed, Tony suggested that the Chinese man contact his chauffeur or someone else to pick him up, as he was heavily intoxicated. A woman, whom Tony had not met before, then arrived to collect the Chinese man.
Tony greeted the woman with a knuckle bump and told her that she was beautiful. Suddenly, the Chinese man hit him on the head with a plate and tried to hit him again before another friend intervened.
Tony said he did not know if there was a relationship between the Chinese man and the woman or why he got attacked.
The victim claimed that a knuckle bump is a traditional Chinese way of greeting. He did it only to greet her and did not touch or try to harass her. He added that he complimented the woman just to be friendly.
Tony went to a hospital to get treated for the wound on his head but the Chinese man followed him and hit him on the head again. Tony added that the wounds were serious and he required over 40 stitches.
The Singaporean reported that he is now scared of travelling to Thailand because the Chinese man is rich and influential. He reckons he knows a lot of high-ranking police officers who have made the case disappear.
The lawyer, Ronnarong, later took Tony to file a complaint at the Metropolitan Police Bureau. The commander of the Metro Police, Anuwat Suvarnabhumi, received the report and promised to investigate the case and provide justice to both parties.
