Ice cream vendor arrested after tourists assaulted at Kata Beach
A 30-year-old man was detained at Kata Beach after two tourists suffered minor facial injuries in an assault, Karon Police said.
A 30-year-old ice cream vendor was arrested after allegedly assaulting two tourists at Kata Beach in Karon, Phuket, Karon Police said.
Police were alerted at about 11:45am that a Thai man was behaving erratically, carrying a short knife and attacking tourists. Officers identified the suspect as Parinya Praditsuwann, from Chachoengsao province.
The injured tourists were identified as Dmitrii Danielenko and Dmytroy Yeliseive. Both sustained minor facial injuries, including redness around their faces, police said.
Local residents and beachgoers intervened and restrained the suspect before police arrived. A preliminary urine test was positive for methamphetamine, and police said Parinya admitted using the drug before the incident.
He was taken to Karon Police Station and handed over to investigators for legal proceedings. Police have not disclosed what triggered the assault, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Video of the incident, posted on Facebook by a user identified as “Bank Marlboro”, spread widely online. Some commenters praised those who intervened, while others criticised the speed of the police response.
