South Korean man claims self-defence after punching British national in Udon Thani

Foreign suspect claims self-defence after victim approaches too closely

A South Korean man punched a British national in the face outside a shopping centre in Udon Thani province yesterday, September 7, claiming he acted in self-defence.

A security guard intervened in the altercation between the 39 year old South Korean man and the 81 year old British man in the afternoon and called officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station to investigate.

The guard reported to the police that the British man arrived at the shopping centre with his pet dog. As animals were not permitted inside, the guard stopped him at the entrance.

Shortly afterwards, the South Korean man arrived in a taxi. The guard said he saw the two foreigners speaking briefly before the South Korean suddenly punched the British man in the face. However, he did not notice what had occurred prior to the assault.

According to the guard, the British victim sat down and waited for the mall’s medical team to provide first aid, while the South Korean attacker entered the shopping centre and went shopping.

British man injured in physical assault by South Korean man
Photo via Hone Krasae

The South Korean was escorted to the police station for questioning after he finished his shopping and walked out of the mall. Officers encountered a language barrier and had to call on a translator for assistance.

The suspect told police that he had argued with his taxi driver upon arrival. The British man allegedly intervened, approaching too quickly and standing too close. He claimed the British man stared at him and tried to touch him, prompting him to strike out in self-defence.

Local news programme Hone Keasae reported that the South Korean man had relocated to Udon Thani only two weeks earlier and was working in website administration.

South Korean attacks British man outside Udon Thani mall
Photo via Hone Krasae

The British man later went to the police station after receiving medical treatment to file a complaint against his assailant. The South Korean reportedly faces two charges, including:

  • Section 295 of the Criminal Law: physically assaulting another person, resulting in physical or mental harm. The penalty is imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
  • Section 8 of the Act on Firearms, Ammunition, Explosive, Fireworks, and Imitation Firearm: carrying a weapon in a public place without permission and necessity. The punishment will be imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.

After the interrogation, the South Korean man reportedly meditated on the chair. He said that he was praying because he was tired and wanted to rest.

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Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.