Two badly injured in steel bar assaults
PHUKET TOWN: A Swedish resident of Phuket, 38-year-old Borje Karlsson, spent five days in the intensive care unit in Wachira Hospital after being hit in the face and legs with a steel bar. He was the second person to be assaulted in this way on Sunday. The first was Jongjit Tanchuvong, 40, a motorcycle taxi driver. Pol Lt Kanung Pitakkulthon of the Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette that Khun Jongjit was in the area of the PTT gas station on Chao Fa Rd East when a man signaled to her. Thinking he wanted to be taken somewhere, she stopped alongside him. He then hit her in the face and body with a steel bar, knocking her off the bike. Staff at the gas station called police. The assailant, they said, “skipped away” as if happy with his work. Mr Karlsson left his house in Phuket Villa 3 later the same day to look for a motorbike taxi. He was assaulted in the same manner. Police later arrested Authaya Saetan, 38, who claimed to be a tuk-tuk driver. Pol Lt Kanung said that Authaya appeared to have mental problems. Khun Jongjit identified him as her attacker. Police have yet to interview Mr Karlsson, who was moved out of intensive care only yesterday, to check whether he is able to identify his attacker.
