Two Bangkok Residents Seek Help After Norwegian Man's Assault

BANGKOK — Two Bangkok residents have sought assistance from the Sai Mai Must Survive organisation after alleging that a Norwegian man assaulted them, damaged a mobile phone and threatened to kill them near Bang Na intersection.

The incident allegedly occurred at about 08:30 on Saturday on the skywalk above Bang Na intersection, near Sanphawut Road in Bang Na district.

The complainants, identified by the pseudonyms T, 29, and Y, 28, approached the organisation on Sunday to request legal assistance and raise concerns for their safety.

T said he had been walking across the skywalk on his usual route to work when he heard a foreign man shouting behind him. He alleged that the man suddenly kicked him in the right arm, causing his mobile phone to fall from his hand. According to T, the man picked up the phone, removed its case and threw it forcefully onto the ground, cracking the screen.

T said the man then began behaving aggressively towards other people in the area. He claimed the man appeared to be under the influence of a substance, although this has not been independently confirmed.

T ran towards the road to seek help and encountered Y, a close friend, nearby. Y said she approached the man and asked why he had attacked her friend. She alleged that he responded by saying he was exercising and that, had he intended to hurt T, he would have cut his throat with a knife. She also claimed that he threatened her in English, saying: "I will kill you."

When Y attempted to record the incident on her phone, the man allegedly ran towards her and knocked her to the ground. The pair said they fled towards a group of motorcycle taxi drivers as the man chased them. He reportedly stopped pursuing them after seeing the group and crossed the road, where he allegedly caused further disturbances at nearby shops.

Both complainants said they had never met the man before and had no previous dispute with him. T said he regularly used the skywalk to travel to work and now feared encountering the man again. He has temporarily begun taking a motorcycle taxi instead of walking.

The suspect was later identified by the complainants as a Norwegian national known as Erling. Ekkaphop Luangprasert, founder of the Sai Mai Must Survive Facebook page, said the organisation had contacted Bang Na Police Station and asked investigators to locate the man. He urged authorities to act quickly, expressing concern that the suspect could leave Thailand before legal proceedings were completed.

Police had not publicly announced any arrest or charges as of Sunday afternoon.