Father, son face charges for road rage attack

The attack happened in front of an Isan restaurant, at 5:30pm.

Police explained that Suriya Kaewsopha, 30, was driving his white pickup truck, registered in Khon Kaen, with his wife Wanwisa Phonrob and 2-year-old son in the front passenger seat when the attack happened.

Mr Suriya was rushing his son to hospital as he had a high fever. When he stopped at a red light, a man later identified as Moi Pinta approached his pickup and tapped on the driver’s side window.

Mr Moi accused Mr Suriya of cutting him off in traffic. Mr Suriya, more concerned with his son’s condition, ignored him and drove off. Mr Moi and his son Narong Pinta, 30, followed him as they weaved through traffic.

At the next traffic lights, Mr Moi took an iron bar, estimated to be about 70cm long, and smashed the windscreen and the driver’s side window.

Mr Moi then pulled Mr Suriya out of the pickup. Mr Suriya pulled out his mobile phone to record the incident, but Mr Moi grabbed the phone and threw it away.

The son, Narong, then arrived and started hitting Mr Suriya, who started to flee down the road, with Narong chasing after him and repeatedly hitting him with the iron bar. Mr Suriya protected himself with one arm.

Onlookers tried to intervene to stop the attack. One of the onlookers had his car struck by Mr Narong for his efforts.

Staff at the Isan restaurant called Mr Suriya for him, his wife and child to take refuge and hide in the restaurant. Mr Suriya said that witnesses had reported that Mr Narong was seen at one time walking around carrying two knives.

When police arrived, Mr Narong and his father fled.

After the attack, Mr Suriya took his son to hospital as a priority, then later returned to explain the incident to police.

Doctors at Dibuk Hospital confirmed that Mr Suriya’s arm had suffered bruising in the attack, but was not broken.

Mr Narong and his father Mr Moi later both presented themselves to police and confessed to the attack.

Mr Suriya said he was asking police to prosecute to “the full extent of the law”. He told reporters that he would not negotiate or compromise with the men.