Drunk Belarusian man attacks police in Phuket rampage (video)
A drunk Belarusian man, naked only for his underwear, went on a rampage in Phuket yesterday, physically assaulting Thai police officers. Locals criticised the police for their ineffective response.
At approximately 3.10am, yesterday, December 11, two officers from Karon Police Station arrived at the road along Karon Beach, outside The Emerald Hotel, to deal with the disturbance caused by the foreign man, initially reported to be Russian.
Security guards and Good Samaritans at the scene also assisted the police in attempting to suppress the situation.
A video of the incident was shared widely on Thai social media, drawing criticism towards the police officers. Netizens agreed that the officers appeared unprepared and unable to effectively handle the situation.
In the video, the foreigner, later identified as a 39 year old Belarusian man, Aiarhei Asychuk, was seen wearing only his underwear, running around the scene, shouting loudly, and lashing out at anyone nearby.
His wife, dressed in white, and their children were seen trying to calm him but their efforts were to no avail.
One police officer was shown attempting to restrain the man by holding him from behind but Asychuk managed to break free. When the officer tried to approach him again, he was forced to retreat as Asychuk attempted to kick him.
A security guard then jumped onto Asychuk’s back but was thrown to the ground. Asychuk continued running around, while the police appeared increasingly desperate.
According to the Bangkok Post, the police eventually managed to subdue the man. He was taken into custody and transported to the police station for further legal proceedings. Asychuk faces three charges including:
- Section 378 of the Criminal Law: causing chaos in public places while drunk. The penalty is a fine of up to 5,000 baht.
- Section 238 of the Criminal Law: assaulting or obstructing an officer on duty. The penalty is up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
- Section 358 of the Criminal Law: damaging property of another person. The penalty is six months to 10 years in prison and a fine of between 10,000 and 200,000 baht.
Asychuk remains in custody at Karon Police Station. His family visited him before returning to their home country as scheduled today, December 12. He is due to be transferred to court tomorrow, 13 December.
