Burmese worker’s grief sparks axe rampage at Phuket camp

A Burmese worker’s grief over a friend’s death led to a chaotic rampage at a worker’s camp in Phuket, where he damaged a journalist’s car with an axe. The incident followed a fatal stabbing involving a Thai man and another Burmese worker.

Yesterday, August 28, police in Thalang, Phuket, received reports of a man running amok and attacking a journalist’s car with an axe at a worker’s camp in Sri Sunthon subdistrict. Upon arrival, officers found a naked man behaving erratically while his wife, holding their crying child, pleaded for him to stop. Police restrained the man, identified as 30 year old Sao, and took him for questioning.

The journalist’s sedan sustained damage to the hood from the axe attack. Police advised the journalist to file a report for further investigation.

Sao, a Burmese national, had been drinking heavily out of grief. His friend, a fellow Burmese worker, had been stabbed to death the previous night. Sao feared the perpetrator, a Thai man, would evade justice, leading to his emotional and violent outburst.

According to the investigation, the altercation began when Sao argued with his wife. He then attempted to stab a fellow worker but was disarmed. In his frustration, he grabbed an axe and attacked the journalist’s car parked at the scene to cover the stabbing incident.

The stabbing incident occurred late the previous night, with police receiving a report of a severely injured Burmese man at the worker’s camp on Sri Sunthon Road. Emergency services had already transported the victim, identified as U Tun, to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The suspected assailant, a Thai man named Game, fled the scene immediately after the stabbing. Preliminary investigations revealed that U Tun and Game had a heated argument that escalated into a physical fight. The conflict reportedly arose from U Tun’s suspicion that Game was romantically interested in his girlfriend. Police are actively searching for Game to bring him to justice, reported KhaoSod.

“The situation was intense, and emotions were running high. We are doing everything we can to apprehend the suspect and ensure justice is served.”