Belgian man in Thailand hospitalised after violent road rage incident
A 70 year old Belgian expatriate found himself in a violent altercation with a Thai citizen in a recent incident that took place in Chon Buri province. The Belgian man, a long-term resident of Thailand for two decades, was allegedly attacked following a road incident sparked by a language barrier and misunderstanding.
The Belgian, Danny and his 50 year old wife, Panisara, approached the non-profit organization Sai Mai Tong Rod to assist them in pursuing legal action against the Thai man involved in the incident. The couple provided a video to the Thai national media, which was subsequently aired on various major news channels like Channel 3 News.
The video depicted Danny, donned in an orange shirt, engaged in a verbal altercation with an unidentified Thai man dressed in white. The video recorded Danny, the Belgian man, asserting in English, “You are wrong!”
Panisara, recording the incident, attempted to intervene and keep the Thai man away from her husband. The Thai man, however, continued to yell, accusing Danny of insulting him. The argument escalated, leading to the Thai man allegedly attacking the Belgian man, punching and kicking him even after he had fallen to the ground.
The attack, which occurred on October 16, resulted in Danny being hospitalised with two broken ribs, a broken nose, and bruises all over his body. Panisara explained the situation leading up to the confrontation during a media interview.
According to her, the incident began when their young nephew left his bicycle unattended on the street after being chased by a stray dog. The Thai man, while driving his pickup truck, accidentally ran into the abandoned bicycle, which triggered his anger and led him to search for the bicycle’s owner.
Misunderstanding
Panisara and Danny, alerted by the man’s shouting, came out of their house. Danny, noticing the damaged bicycle and misunderstanding the situation, believed his nephew had been hit by the pickup truck. He exclaimed a profanity, which the Thai man misinterpreted as a direct insult, instigating the heated argument and subsequent physical assault.
Following the incident, the couple reported the assault to the Chon Buri police. The police arranged for a meeting between both parties for negotiation. However, the Thai man insisted that the Belgian man should pay for the damages to his car.
Regarding Danny’s medical bills, which exceeded 40,000 baht, and the claimed damages of 300,000 baht, the Thai man rejected the demands and dared him to take the matter to court.
Currently, Danny and his family are living in fear and are concerned about receiving justice. They have turned to the Sai Mai Tong Rod organisation for help.
In an interview with local media, Danny expressed his disappointment, stating that if such an incident occurred in his home country, Belgium, the perpetrator would have been immediately arrested. He mentioned his long-standing legal residence and employment in Thailand over the past 20 years and his adherence to local laws, including tax payment, reported Pattaya News.
As of now, the Sai Mai Tong Rod Foundation is believed to be working towards initiating dialogue with the unidentified Thai man to find a suitable resolution. This may involve the Thai court system but with the foundation’s support.
Danny’s statement to the local media underscored his distress.
“I have been living in Thailand legally and working legally for over 20 years, paying taxes in accordance with the law, and never expected to encounter a situation like this.”
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