Swedish Man Attacked by Brother-in-Law with Machete, Requiring 21 Stitches, Over Three Dead Chicks
A Swedish man was slashed with a machete by his brother-in-law in Sisaket Province over three accidentally killed chicks, leaving him with head wounds requiring 21 stitches and ongoing neurological problems.
A 61-year-old Swedish national named Jimmy, along with his 58-year-old Thai wife Kalya, filed a complaint on May 14, 2569 through the "Lanta Sai Yai Tong Rawd" Facebook page after being attacked by his brother-in-law Surapol with a machete, resulting in serious head injuries. The incident occurred on March 28 in Khukhan District, Sisaket Province.
The conflict began when Jimmy accidentally ran over three chicks while driving to a garden, failing to notice them on the road. After the chick carcasses were found placed in the house, Surapol waited outside with a machete that evening, attempting to attack Jimmy while he was in his car. Despite relatives attempting to intervene and Jimmy getting out of the car to attempt negotiation and reconciliation, Surapol struck him in the back of the head, causing a severe laceration requiring over 21 stitches. Jimmy was hospitalized for more than a week.
Kalya believes the chicks were merely a pretext, and that the real cause stems from accumulated tensions between the two families over longstanding disputes, including a previous incident involving dogs. Although village elders previously resolved that matter, tensions remained. Surapol claims Jimmy threatened to beat him with a stick first, forcing him to use the machete in self-defense.
Khukhan Police have charged Surapol with "attempted murder" and are gathering evidence for prosecution. Jimmy remains uncompensated and suffers from neurological problems, poor memory, partial leg paralysis, and severe anxiety, as the perpetrator still lives directly across from him and the case remains unresolved.
Ekapon Luang Prasert, founder of the "Lanta Sai Yai Tong Rawd" page, stated that the incident is deeply troubling, expressing sympathy for the foreigner victim who had no intention of hitting the chicks. He emphasized that a machete attack on a public road was unjustified and believes the case has clear evidence. He pledged to coordinate with local police and the Ministry of Justice to seek witness protection and compensation for the victim, while arranging a lawyer from the page to follow the case. He assured all foreign residents that Thai law provides equal protection for both Thai and foreign nationals.
