Belgian man brutally attacked and robbed in Pattaya on Christmas Day
In stark contrast to the festive spirits, a Belgian man suffered serious injuries after a group of six thieves brutally attacked him with a knife and robbed him in Pattaya earlier today, December 25, just as he was returning from a Christmas party.
A 38 year old Thai woman named Phonthip alerted officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station to the entrance of a village in the Banglamung district of Pattaya after a foreign man, covered in blood, sought help from her.
The victim was later identified as an 80 year old Belgian man named Richard Ander M. Van Bogaert. He sustained a deep cut to his head, prompting the police to call a rescue team to administer first aid before rushing him to a hospital.
The Belgian informed the officers that he lost his wallet, which contained 7,000 baht in cash, to six thieves. The thieves carried knives and reportedly attacked him. The Belgian man was forced to crawl along the street to seek help from the Thai woman.
Phonthip revealed in an interview with Channel 7 that Bogaert told her he had just returned from a Christmas Eve party. While he was walking to his accommodation within the village, the thieves, riding three motorcycles, approached him and carried out the assault, as he described.
Police have since set up checkpoints on routes where they believe the thieves may have fled. Officers are also reviewing security camera footage from the scene and surrounding areas in an attempt to track down the suspects.
According to officers, the motive for the assault has not yet been determined. It remains unclear whether the gang specifically targeted The Belgian victim for his valuables or if the attack stemmed from a previous dispute.
In a related incident on December 13, a Russian woman was robbed while walking her dog at a public park on Jomtien Second Road at around 5.30am.
The Russian victim reported that two men on a motorcycle approached her, snatched her bag, and sped away. The bag contained her gold earrings, a condominium key card, earbuds, 5,000 baht in cash, and personal documents.
The police have not yet released a statement regarding the arrest of the two thieves or any updates on the case.
