Patong Police accused of ignoring attack on Canadian tourist

PHUKET: A Patong police patrol officer has been accused of ignoring a plea for help from a Canadian tourist after he was violently mugged.

The Police Box at the beach end of Bangla Rd, Patong. Photo: The Phuket News / file

The incident was brought to light through a post on a popular Phuket social media forum yesterday (Feb 12), with Thais asking officials to help the Canadian man.

Later yesterday, officers from the Phuket Tourist Police, led by Pol Lt Col Ekachai Siri, were instructed to investigate the assault and robbery.

According to the report, the Tourist Police met the Canadian tourist, William Lamarach, 27, at Bangkok Hospital Siriroj, where the explained that he was attacked and robbed opposite the Patong Condotel building near the Patong beachfront at about 2am on Feb 11.

Five men attacked him and stole his Rolex watch and about B50,000 in cash, he said.

Mr Lamarach then made his way back along the Patong beach road, where he saw a police officer on patrol. He informed the officer of the attack, to which the officer allegedly refused to help.

Mr Lamarach went to a nearby clinic for treatment for his injuries, but was told that he needed to see a specialist for his broken nose. He returned to his accommodation. in the Kata area, and went to see a doctor at Bangkok Hospital Siriroj the next day.

At the hospital he was told that the specialist was unavailable, so he made an appointment to see a different doctor on Feb 12, Tourist Police reported.

The incident has now been reported to the Patong Police Chief in order for the attack to be investigated, Tourist Police reported.

A classic case of "blame the victim". Does this mean that anyone with money in their pocket and a watch on their wrist is fair game for mugging? Are we all supposed to go out in sackcloth and ashes? Is Phuket becoming a Haiti look-alike?

50.000 Baht in cash??? That sounds like someone will be making an insurance claim. Who in their right mind would carry so much cash around with them in patong of all places in the middle of the night (morning)?

Adding to my usual rant about worthless police (which still holds as valid), I have to agree with the other commenters (even Poolie) that this Canuck certainly was an invitation to disaster. Going out for a drunken night on the town in a strange place flashing a Rolex and carrying around $1,500? Insanely stupid. But he still doesn't deserve to be put in the hospital and ignored by the cops.

Yeah poolie the apologist, I'm sure the Patong police really had their hands full as they usually do, protecting the taxi mafia from other taxis that aren't allowed to join their cartels. You would think with all the recent bad press, cops would be doing their best to portray Patong as a safe place for tourists. But no, as always, cops are proving they are part of the problem.

The 'worthless police' probably have other things to do at 2am than babysit half witted, drunken tourists. Would he go wandering at 2am in is own country after a skinful? Then complain in a foreign language?

Another great black eye for Phuket tourism at the hands of the worthless police. Actually, the police are worth than worthless, as they do untold damage to the reputation of the entire island. But it is clear that nothing ever happens, and nothing ever will happen, as the inmates run the asylum here.

Patong Police accused of ignoring attack on Canadian tourist

Patong Police accused of ignoring attack on Canadian tourist

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