The incident occurred around 4am in front of a popular venue at the southern end of Bang Tao Beach*, Cherng Talay Police reported.
On arriving at the scene, officers found the victim, identified as French citizen Jugurtha Nubel Khaleche, suffering from three knife wounds ‒ two to the back and one to the left side of his waist.
He was taken by rescue teams to Thalang Hospital. Police reported that he was in stable condition and awaiting X-ray results to determine whether any internal organs were affected.
Preliminary investigations revealed that an altercation broke out inside a nearby night venue* between Mr Khaleche and several other foreign men, Cherng Talay Police said in their report.
* The name of the venue named by police has been removed following confirmation by police that the initial venue named had nothing to do with the incident.
The fight continued outside, where Mr Khaleche was attacked by a group of four men who staffers at the club said spoke English.
One of the attackers pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Khaleche before the group fled in a grey Mazda 2 with the license plate number KorTor 9526, with the province of registration still unknown.
Investigators have inspected the scene, collected evidence and questioned witnesses. The identity of the suspects remains under investigation, police said.
Officers were continuing their inquiries and working to identify and locate the perpetrators, the report noted.
Cherng Talay Police have yet to confirm whether the Jugurtha Nubel Khaleche stabbed in Phuket was the same 23-year-old Jugurtha Nubel Khaleche who has 42 wins fighting in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).
According to his Instagram account, BJJ fighter Mr Khaleche was in Phuket in mid-April, enjoying the sights and stopping by training camps, including those in Soi Ta-ied, Chalong.