Swiss man stumbles in conflict with Thai female doctor in Phuket

Chaiyachot Uttamang, father of the doctor, posted a Facebook message about the incident on Wednesday, asserting that his daughter was polite and humble.

According to the post, the incident took place at around 7.30pm on February 24. The doctor and her female friend had gone for a stroll on a beach near a restaurant in Thalang district before sitting on the steps of a villa, where the Swiss man and his Thai wife lived.

The Swiss man allegedly kicked the doctor on the back while using his smartphone to record the video. As he scolded the doctor and her friend, they sought help from a security officer near the beach.

However, the Swiss man's wife also berated the doctor and her friend, and warned them of imprisonment because her son was a policeman, and she knew senior police officer in the province.

Two policemen arrived at the scene for negotiations after the foreigner's wife contacted them. The doctor and her friend could have faced four years in prison for the offence, while the Swiss man and his Thai wife could face only a fine.

The doctor and her friend called for compromise, but the Swiss man and his Thai wife rejected their offer, saying the doctor and her friend must face imprisonment.

The doctor and her friend filed a complaint at Thalang Police Station on February 25, and found out that the Swiss man was an owner of the elephant sanctuary in Phuket.

'I slipped, didn't kick'

After giving his testimony at Thalang Police Station, the Swiss man told "so brutal, Phuket province" Facebook page that he had just slipped on the steps and had no intention to kick the female doctor.

He apologised and asked other people to understand that it was only an accident.

Meanwhile, the foreigner's lawyer said that he had received a video clip of the incident. He declined to reveal if the Swiss man had kicked the female doctor, but assumed that the doctor was not injured.

Police denies knowing a Swiss man

Thalang police chief Pol Colonel Nikorn Chuthong said that police had received the doctor's testimony and her evidence on Thursday morning.

"Both sides could not reach a compromise, so the police advised the doctor to take a physical examination and file a complaint," he said.

He denied knowing the Swiss man and his wife, saying that he had been transferred to Thalang Police Station only recently. He assumed that the foreigner probably knew some other policemen personally.

An encroachment?

The female doctor's remark that she and her friend had sat on the villa's steps while their feet touched the beach sand raised questions among netizens whether the villa was encroaching on a public area.

The "so brutal, Phuket province" Facebook page urged relevant officials in Thalang district to inspect the villa to check for encroachment.

In response, the Phuket Info Centre said on its Facebook page that relevant officials had ordered demolition of the steps where the incident took place, claiming that it was encroaching on a public area.