Thai ex-boxer slammed for slapping Cambodian man amid border clash
Backlash grows as viral video ignites fears of escalating ethnic violence
Thai netizens condemned a ex-boxer for slapping a Cambodian worker in Thailand following a deadly clash between Thai and Cambodian forces today, July 24.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health reported earlier today that 12 Thai nationals were killed in attacks carried out by the Cambodian military. Among the victims was a Thai soldier, while the majority were innocent civilians, including a 15 year old boy.
Later, Army Region 2 announced that the Cambodian military appeared to have deliberately targeted civilians rather than military personnel. Attacks were reported at a hospital and a residential area in Surin province, as well as a convenience store at a petrol station in Sisaket province.
The strikes on residential and medical areas sparked public outrage, with many Thai citizens accusing the Cambodian military of a lack of humanity.
Some netizens and online influencers called for violent retaliation against Cambodian nationals in Thailand. While some urged police to arrest undocumented Cambodian workers, others advocated even more extreme actions against innocent Cambodians.
One such person was a former boxer whose name has not been publicly released. He posted a video online showing himself confronting three Cambodian workers at a fresh market.
In the footage, he urged one of them to speak to Cambodian soldiers to stop harming Thai civilians, and the man agreed.
The ex-boxer then pressured another Cambodian man to verbally condemn the attacks. When the man simply smiled at the camera, the ex-boxer appeared dissatisfied and slapped him on the face. He was heard saying…
“To those Cambodian soldiers who attack innocent Thai people, you might not get in trouble, but your fellow countrymen will.”
The incident quickly sparked a backlash online. Many Thai netizens criticised the ex-boxer for inflaming tensions and warned that individuals should leave conflict resolution to the police, rather than taking matters into their own hands.
Some also pointed out that there are many Thai nationals currently living and working in Cambodia, and such actions could endanger them.
Although the ex-boxer has since deleted the video from his Facebook account, he has not yet issued a public apology or clarification.
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Typical short man complex, it appears.