Update: Locals demand justice in Swiss expat alleged assault case
Residents of Phuket are set to converge on Yamu Beach in Thalang district today, enraged by an incident involving a Swiss expat accused of kicking a local woman for simply sitting on steps near his beachfront villa.
The Swiss expat, 45 year old Urs Fehr, also known by the name David, purportedly delivered a kick to Dr Thandao Chandam, a respected figure at Dibuk Hospital, as she enjoyed a peaceful moonlit moment with a friend outside his residence on the evening of February 24.
Adding fuel to the fire, David’s wife, Khanuengnit, reportedly joined in, unleashing a verbal tirade at the doctor. Dr Thandao wasted no time in filing a formal complaint with the authorities, alleging assault.
In a twist to the tale, the Swiss expat and his wife claimed they mistook the victims for Chinese tourists who had allegedly trespassed earlier. Although David offered an apology, locals are clamouring for his expulsion and the restoration of the beach to its rightful owners.
As tensions escalated, the couple found themselves summoned to Thalang Police Station to face charges of physical assault, with police poised to escalate the case to the Phuket Kwaeng Court.
Adding intrigue, investigations revealed the villa’s steps, supposedly the epicentre of the altercation, encroached upon public beach land. Pa Klok Subdistrict Municipality launched a formal complaint against Phuket Peninsula Estate Co Ltd, the overseeing entity of the villa project, uncovering further encroachments, reported Bangkok Post.
Pa Klok Subdistrict Mayor Panya Sampaorat expressed dismay at the discovery, pointing out additional structures, wooden stairs and a lounging area, encroaching on the public beach, sparking fresh outrage among residents.
ORIGINAL STORY: Beach blunder: Swiss man and wife regret assaulting Thai doctor in Phuket (video)
An underfire Swiss man and his Thai wife apologised to a Thai doctor for physically assaulting and insulting her after she innocently sat on the steps to their beachside villa. The foreign man claims the incident was an accident, stating that he mistakenly identified the victim and her friend as a previous Chinese trespasser.
The Thai doctor, 26 year old Tarndao Chandam, insisted on pursuing the charge against the Swiss man, 45 year old Urs Fehr, for physically assaulting her on the beach near Yamu Cape in the Thalang district of Phuket on February 24.
Tarndao told the public that the Swiss expat kicked her from behind while his wife insulted her and threatened to use her connection with high-ranking police to put the doctor in jail for trespassing.
Fehr came forward to reveal that he did not mean to attack or kick the Thai woman in the back. He insists that he accidentally kicked her while he was stumbling on the steps to his rental property. Fehr’s Thai lawyer confirmed this information, stating he saw the video of the incident and confirmed that it was clearly an accident.
The video was later shared on Thai social media and went viral. Many netizens agreed that the incident was a physical assault and not an accident as mentioned by Fehr and his lawyer.
In the 17-second video, Fehr is seen walking toward Tarndao and her friend, who were sitting on the steps. Fehr can be heard shouting, “Get the f*ck out of here!” It is followed by a thud sound. However, the video did not show clearly whether it came from a kick or a trip.
Swiss apology
Fehr and his Thai wife held a press conference today, March 1, to share their side of the story and apologise to the victim.
The wife explained that a few days earlier, a Chinese woman entered their villa premises while she was swimming and frightened her. She reported the incident to the accommodation’s juristic person to remove the Chinese man from the area.
Fehr’s wife informed him of the incident, making him worried. According to his wife, her husband approached Tarndao and her friend and shouted vulgarities at them thinking they were the Chinese nationals she mentioned.
The wife issued an apology to the doctor and her friend, explaining that she was sleepy and angry at the time, leading to an inappropriate conversation with the victims. She emphasised that she did not mean to threaten or insult anyone.
She also admitted mentioning her connection with a high-ranking police officer, clarifying that her son is a police officer but his rank is only a police sergeant. She added that if she had known the doctor and her friend were medical workers, she would have invited them to rest inside her villa.
Fehr apologised to the doctor as well. He said he did not intend to harm her but was worried about the Chinese trespasser. He added that he recorded a video of the incident to file a complaint to the accommodation’s juristic person about the invasion.
Fehr’s Thai lawyer also issued an apology to the public, acknowledging that his interpretation of the video footage differed from the prevailing viewpoint. He reiterated that he perceived the incident as an accident and emphasised that his defence of Fehr was not motivated by financial considerations.
Currently, the police have not issued any updates regarding the legal proceedings of the case. Tarndao declared on February 29 her intention to pursue compensation from Fehr, with the funds earmarked for beach maintenance and preservation initiatives.
