THAI netizens heavily criticised a guard at a pub who was seen in a video clip posted on a Facebook page slapping and handcuffing a foreign man while accusing him of theft which the latter, who spoke Thai, denied, Amarin TV said today (Feb. 26).
The Facebook user, Esornews2, said in the message, “Even as the foreigner was trying to explain it appears the pub’s guard did not listen to him and both threatened and slapped him in the face … this group of people should not be allowed to behave loutishly and damage the reputation of the country… a famous pub in Khao San.”
The Facebook user added that lawyers and police have to be asked what right did the guard have to handcuff the tourist and whether this was wrong while mentioning that the guard only had the right to catch him and send him to the authorities with no right to physically assault anyone.
Also mentioned was that this tourist is a foreign influencer.
In the video clip the guard asked the foreigner in English “why do you steal.” The foreigner replied in Thai he did not steal anything. The guard then asked what was in his bag. The foreigner replied it was drinking water and that he had never stolen anything in his life.
Thai netizens strongly criticised the guard’s action pointing out that the duty of guards was to ensure security and they do not have the right to bash up anyone. If an incident occurs they may only stop it with the pub then calling the police hotline 191.
However this happens at many pubs and such people were not really guards but arrogant louts, some of them said.
Soon after the incident the pub’s management said they had fired the guard and will be reporting him to police for physical assault.
CAPTION:
A screen-grab images of the pub guard slapping and questioning the tourist. The Thai headline in above photo says, “I did not steal.” Photos: Amarin TV
Also read: Shopkeeper arrested for bashing up foreign tourist with skateboard
Phuket police get flak after fining tourist for riding e-scooter
Koh Samui gears up for wellness tourism
Thailand’s medical tourism likely to soar in 2023
