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Thugs who attacked British family in Hua Hin jailed without parole
| Published: | 7 Jun at 6 PM |
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A group of drunken Thai thugs who attacked a British family on holiday in Hua Hin have been given two-year prison sentences by a local court.
For decades, Thailand’s tourist hotspots have hosted both expats and temporary visitors, with the coastal town of Hua Hin a favourite for its less frenetic vibes. The town itself became a hub for Bangkok’s elite in the early 1920s after the then King ordered a summer palace to be built and, once air travel became the norm, visitors arrived from the West, looking to avoid the commercialism of resorts such as Pattaya.
Many returned to retire in the pretty, safe town, and Western tourists continued to visit on a regular basis. However, long term expat residents began to regret the changes as the resort became more dependent on tourism and foreign income. During the annual water-throwing festival of Songkran, the reality of 21st century Hua Hin became horribly apparent for a British family when they were attacked and seriously injured by a group of drunken Thai men.
The Owens had been regular visitors to Hua Hin over a few years, and were enjoying the watery chaos of the festival when the couple’s son Lewis brushed against one of a group of Thais standing in the street. The violence of the attack which followed made headlines across the world and went viral on social media. Pensioners Mr and Mrs Owen and their son were knocked to the ground, beaten, kicked and stamped on, with one of the group savagely kicking Mrs Owen in the face as she attempted to get up.
The family was taken to a local hospital, where Mrs Owen underwent several operations for swelling on her brain. Luckily, the entire incident was recorded on CCTV cameras at the site, and the four suspects were soon arrested and charged. Thailand’s tourism authority made all the right noises and presented Mrs Owen with flowers, but the truth about Hua Hin via the leaked video footage and international media coverage was already online.
Unusually for Thailand, the arrests of the suspects followed swiftly and, even more unusually, the two-year prison sentences handed down to the thugs included a no-parole clause. The family, now recovered from the injuries they received, are safely back in the UK having stated they will never visit Thailand again.
For decades, Thailand’s tourist hotspots have hosted both expats and temporary visitors, with the coastal town of Hua Hin a favourite for its less frenetic vibes. The town itself became a hub for Bangkok’s elite in the early 1920s after the then King ordered a summer palace to be built and, once air travel became the norm, visitors arrived from the West, looking to avoid the commercialism of resorts such as Pattaya.
Many returned to retire in the pretty, safe town, and Western tourists continued to visit on a regular basis. However, long term expat residents began to regret the changes as the resort became more dependent on tourism and foreign income. During the annual water-throwing festival of Songkran, the reality of 21st century Hua Hin became horribly apparent for a British family when they were attacked and seriously injured by a group of drunken Thai men.
The Owens had been regular visitors to Hua Hin over a few years, and were enjoying the watery chaos of the festival when the couple’s son Lewis brushed against one of a group of Thais standing in the street. The violence of the attack which followed made headlines across the world and went viral on social media. Pensioners Mr and Mrs Owen and their son were knocked to the ground, beaten, kicked and stamped on, with one of the group savagely kicking Mrs Owen in the face as she attempted to get up.
The family was taken to a local hospital, where Mrs Owen underwent several operations for swelling on her brain. Luckily, the entire incident was recorded on CCTV cameras at the site, and the four suspects were soon arrested and charged. Thailand’s tourism authority made all the right noises and presented Mrs Owen with flowers, but the truth about Hua Hin via the leaked video footage and international media coverage was already online.
Unusually for Thailand, the arrests of the suspects followed swiftly and, even more unusually, the two-year prison sentences handed down to the thugs included a no-parole clause. The family, now recovered from the injuries they received, are safely back in the UK having stated they will never visit Thailand again.
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