The posting of the video, about two minutes long, received harsh criticism online.
The person who posted the video responded with the explanation that the group attacking the man were sitting in the school playground at Saphan Hin minding their own business at about 9:20pm at night (date not confirmed) when two youths, a male and a female, collided with a car driven by the man who was seen being attacked in the video.
Several of the members of the group went to offer assistance, the youth said. “Negotiations should have gone smoothly at first. They only talked about damages for repairing the car. But in the end they couldn’t agree,” he explained.
The group sitting in the playground told the man that they were all witnesses to the collision, the youth said. The man driving the car was in the wrong, he claimed.
The man allegedly threatened to hit some of the youths in the group, the youth added, while also claiming that the man smelled of alcohol.
A fight ensued, he said.
The members of the group that “offered assistance” (sic) tried to flee, but were pursued by the man, the youth said.
The person who recorded the video tried to intervene was also pursued. Once clear, the youth said he called the police.
Officers from Phuket City Police arrived and ended the attack, he noted.
The man who was assaulted by the gang of youths was taken to Phuket City Police Station, the youth confirmed.
Police have yet to comment publicly on the incident.
Saphan Hin at night has for decades been notorious for youth street racing gangs ‒ among which some sit in the school playground and imbibe substances including alcohol.
Spahan Hin has also for many years served as common ground for street racing gangs to engage in their own violent interactions.
Most residents in Phuket Town have long known to keep out of the area at night.
In this latest incident, the youth who posted the video said he wanted to be clear that the video did not show a pre-arranged fight between two street gangs.