At 3.20am early this morning (August 2) Police Lt Col Sanit Nukongpong of Thalang Police Station was alerted that there was a victim of violence lying unconscious in the middle of the Soi 1 lane in the Phuket Thanee housing estate of Sisunthon's Moo 5.
Police and rescue workers arrived to the scene where there was a crowd of residents standing around the motionless victim who was losing blood rapidly from wounds on his face.
Rescue workers applied emergency aid and CPR before transporting the victim to hospital.
Near the body police found a broken brick tainted with blood stains, and collected it as evidence.
An eyewitness, Ms Kanathawan Phumket, 19, identified the victim as 27-year-old Mr Surasak Yangthad of Kanchanaburi, who made a living selling beverages in front of Thalang Hospital.
Ms Kanthawan told police that prior to the attack, she and the victim were among a group of four friends who had gone to the “Pub 65” establishment in Thalang to party.
She reported that at one point “a drunk teen” from another table had come to grab the victim's throat, choking him while yelling, “Why did you grab my girl's hand?”.
After that, Mr Surasak fled the pub on foot and ran into the housing estate nearby with a group of 6-7 “gang members” in pursuit – a chase which ended with the brutal attack, she said.
The eyewitness told police that at one point last night, Mr Surasak was in an intoxicated state when he approached another table of “intoxicated teens” to "greet them", an interaction which ultimately led to an altercation.
Police are studying CCTV footage in hopes of identifying the culprits, who are still at large.