A video circulating online showed a British man attacked a Thai police officer inside a convenience store, before the officer and store staff restrained him.
The footage was posted by an X user, @JamesPGoddard90, yesterday, March 8, with the caption, “British tourist attacks a Thai police officer in 7-Eleven and instantly regrets it. It’s behavior like this that gives all Brits abroad a bad name.”
In the video, the foreign man, reported to be a British national, forced the officer to the floor and punched him in the face. A second foreign man and several Thai convenience store workers gathered around and attempted to pull the pair apart.
A male store worker placed an arm around the foreign man’s neck, while other staff pulled at his arms and body. After the officer got back to his feet, he gripped the foreign man around his neck and pulled him down to the floor in a wrestling-style hold.
The same store worker then moved towards the person filming and appeared to try to block the camera. The clip ended with the officer and the foreigner still struggling on the ground.
The original source of the footage was unclear, but it was reposted by foreign social media users and Thai news outlets. No official statement has been released detailing what led to the confrontation or how the incident was resolved.
Under Section 138 of Thailand’s Criminal Law, a person found guilty of using force to obstruct an official on duty can face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
The man could also face charges under Section 295, physical assault, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
Source: The Thaiger