Crime
63 Year-old German Tourist’s Neck Slashed While Walking With his Wife Near BTS Station in Bangkok
BANGKOK – Police in Bangkok have arrested a 41 year-old Thai man after he slashed the neck of a 63 year-old German man near the bridge to the BTS Mor Chit station on Tuesday afternoon.
Policed reported that the German man and his wife were walking near the bridge on outbound-Phahon Yothin Road, when a man with a red towel wrapped around his head walking towards them. The man suddenly produced a knife about 10 centimeters long and slashed the German Tourist along the side of the neck.
The man was given basic first aid at the scene for his knife wound then rushed to Paolo Phaholyothin Hospital.
After the attack, the assailant kept the knife and went to a nearby bus stop. Motorcycle taxi drivers and other witnesses converged on the attacker and detained him.
According to the Bangkok Post when police called to the scene arrived, Winai Homniam, 41, of Surin province, was handed over to them.
During interrogation, Mr Winai claimed he had no intention to attacking the tourist. He was on his way to work at a garage in Nonthaburi. He declared that he swung his head to settle the towel, and this somehow caused the knife to accidentally hit the German man in the neck as he walked past him.
Police were not convinced and he was asked to submit to a urine test for drug use.
Pol Col Veeradol Thaptimdee, chief of Bangsue police, said witnesses were still being questioned. It was not yet clear if the man was deranged. Charges would be pressed if he had no history of mental illness.