Victim says Swiss man bumped into her at supermarket prior to assault
PUBLISHED : 6 Mar 2024 at 16:04
UPDATED : 6 Mar 2024 at 16:16
A Swiss retiree has been charged with assaulting a 58-year-old woman in a Trang supermarket, repeatedly punching her and breaking her nose, on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said the man is Dieter Matthias Straumann, 62.
It was reported he is in Thailand on a retirement visa and has a Thai wife and they live in a single-story house.
The victim, Natchanan Khikkham, told reporters on Wednesday that the incident began when a foreign man shoved her while they were inside the Big C store in Muang district.
She said she responded by telling him to be polite, and asked why he did it.
According to her, the man then shouted at her, and she walked away.
Ms Natchanan said the man followed her and then he punched her more than once and walked away. She responded by throwing a water bottle at the man, but missed him.
She alleged the man walked back to her and then knocked her to the floor, pressed his knee against her neck and punched her repeatedly in the face. She called for help.
Ms Natchanan said store staff called paramedics to the scene. She was taken to Trang Hospital and treated for cuts to her face, a broken nose and swelling around her eyes and to her back.
Police detained and took the accused man to Muang Trang provincial police station, where he reportedly refused to answer any questions.
Police later charged him with physical assault causing severe injury and disobeying a lawful order in refusing to sign his name in acknowledgment of the charge and refusing to be fingerprinted.
Police used an interpreter to talk to Mr Straumann and said it took hours to persuade him to comply and then go to Trang Provincial Court for indictment.
Trang public health chief Sinchai Rongdet said the victim would need at least a month to recover.
Tourist police have informed the Swiss embassy.
The Swiss man, left, is at Muang Trang provincial police station on Tuesday. (Screenshot from TV Channel 8)