Thai man brutally assaulted in mall theatre over phone dispute

A 60 year old Thai man took to social media to seek justice after he was brutally assaulted in a theatre at a shopping mall in Bangkok, following a warning he gave to his attacker to stop using his phone during the movie. He claimed the police ignored his case for months.

The victim shared on social media, and with a news Facebook page, that the physical assault took place at the mall theatre in the Ratchayothin area of Bangkok on June 27. He went to watch The Bikeriders, starring Austin Butler, Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer, alone at around 9.30pm and encountered a group of motorbike riders in the theatre.

The group could be identified as motorbike riders by their biker-style clothing, dressed in black shirts bearing the name of their gang on the back, along with jeans.

According to the victim, one of the bikers kept using his phone during the movie, and the light from the device spoiled the viewing experience. The victim asked the man to stop using his phone but the man did not comply.

The biker became angry, and the argument quickly escalated into a physical assault. The attacker punched and kicked the victim in the face until he lost consciousness. He woke up in the hospital and the attacker took no responsibility for his actions.

The victim said he reported the assault to Phahonyothin Police Station but the case went nowhere, forcing him to share the incident with the public on social media.

In an interview with Channel 3, the victim revealed that the attacker and his friends felt no guilt over the assault. They even mocked him on social media. In a screenshot of a conversation shared by the victim, the gang stated:

“Sleeping well after kicking him.”

“He seems to wake up late, lol.”

“This is what you get for running your mouth. Punch or knife? Nah, just kicks.”

The victim added that he suffered two broken teeth and bruises. He had to pay the 20,000-baht treatment fee himself, as there was no progress in the case.

Officers from Phahonyothin Police Station have not yet clarified the delay in their response.