Italian Thai boxer tourist gets Phuket smack-down

PHUKET: An Italian student of muay Thai learned the hard way last night that it’s unwise to mix beer and martial arts, ending up with 15 stitches to the eyebrow and a blow to his pride.

According to a report in Siangtai Daily this morning, a group of three “bald and heavily tattooed Italians” were drinking in a bar on Soi Sea Dragon when the incident took place.

Although it is generally not difficult for men to attract the attention of girls on Soi Sea Dragon, witnesses said one of the Italians decided to remove his shirt to impress the hostesses there with a view of his lean physique and dragon tattoo – and exhibition of his mastery of muay Thai moves.

Less impressed than the hostesses was a Thai man sitting down the bar. Spotting some of the Italian’s less-than-perfect maneuvers, he came up to offer some advice, witnesses said.

This was not the type of attention the Italian was looking for. A fight ensued that ended with the Italian knocked to the ground by an elbow, blood flowing from a gash above his right eye. As he lay there in agony, the Thai man disappeared into the night.

The Italian’s two friends took him to Patong Hospital, where the stitches were applied.

Questioned by police at the hospital, the Italian said he did not want to press charges.

“It was just a mistake,” he told them.

— Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai