Thai man and Frenchman duel in knife fight, both wounded

A knife fight erupted between a Thai man and a Frenchman in the middle of the road in the Karon sub-district of Phuket last night, May 20, resulting in injuries of both parties.

Officers from Karon Police Station received a notification from a Thai man who discovered an injured individual, later identified as Jirasak Thonghor, outside his apartment building at 11.20pm last night. Jirasak was reported to have sustained a stab wound to his neck.

Upon reaching the apartment, officers learned that Jirasak had already been transported to Chalong Hospital.

The Thai man, who reported the incident, informed the police that he did not witness the stabbing. He heard Jirasak crying for help and went down to check on him.

Police investigated the stabbing and found that the incident took place near the house of a 50 year old Frenchman, Arnaud Cezard, at about 9.30pm on that day. Cezard was also admitted to the same hospital as Jirasak.

Security camera footage revealed that Jirasak rode his motorcycle from a convenience store near his apartment to Cezard’s house. He threw a glass bottle at Cezard’s house and challenged the Frenchman to come out and fight him.

Cezard emerged from his residence and promptly shoved Jirasak, causing him to collapse onto the ground. Subsequently, the two became embroiled in a knife fight on the road outside Cezard’s house until two bystanders intervened.

Both Jirasak and Cezard sustained stab wounds before the altercation ceased. Jirasak was witnessed riding his motorcycle away from the scene and later sought assistance from his neighbour at his apartment. The intervening witnesses transported Cezard to the hospital.

According to reports from the Phuket Hotnews Facebook page, Jirasak remains in critical condition, whereas the Frenchman’s condition has stabilised.

Authorities intend to wait for both individuals to recuperate before summoning them for questioning regarding the motive behind their violent altercation.

In a related incident, a British man was stabbed by a group of Thai men in Soi Bangla in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket last week. Police arrested three Thai attackers the next day, May 19, but the motive for the stabbing and the details of their conflict have not yet been revealed.