PHUKET: A wild, fist-swinging brawl among five Western men in Soi Bangla this week has sparked a call for better training and restraint among security guards at Patong's nightclubs and bars.
Tourists witnessed the melee just before midnight on Tuesday, a caller told Phuketwan, adding that bystanders were endangered as punch after punch was thrown.
''It was very dangerous for all the innocent people nearby,'' the caller said. ''People were being knocked into bars. The battle went on for more than five minutes.''
Police managed to calm down the participants and officers were coy to talk about the brawl yesterday. No charges were laid, and the argument was settled through mediation.
Region 8 Police volunteer Wal Brown, who is based in Patong, witnessed the fight and said it was alarming. ''These guys were trying to knock each other out with punches, and then Thai security staff joined in,'' he said.
''The security guards created more of a problem. We are having more of these kinds of fights and efforts have to be made to stop them from happening.''
Police did admit to Phuketwan that the battle among four of the Western men was over a woman. A fifth man unconnected with the others became embroiled in the fighting.
''There were some heavy hits landed and it was disturbing to see this kind of thing in Soi Bangla,'' Mr Brown said. Many touts and bouncers now stood around in the tourist walking street trying to attract customers, he said.
''The work of the police volunteers isn't getting any easier,'' Mr Brown added. ''What should happen is that these security men should exercise restraint and control the situation.
''Instead, all too often they appear to think the answer is to jump in and throw punches themselves.''
Several cases where young men have been killed with one punch late at night on the streets of Australian cities have alarmed authorities there.
Phuket attracts many people to train for Muay Thai or martial arts, but some appear to see merit in using their skills to attack rather than only in self-defence.
''I would suggest that now would be a good time for the Army to train the security people in Soi Bangla about how to keep the peace at all times,'' Mr Brown said.
The brawl took place near the Hollywood disco.
Tourists witnessed the melee just before midnight on Tuesday, a caller told Phuketwan, adding that bystanders were endangered as punch after punch was thrown.
''It was very dangerous for all the innocent people nearby,'' the caller said. ''People were being knocked into bars. The battle went on for more than five minutes.''
Police managed to calm down the participants and officers were coy to talk about the brawl yesterday. No charges were laid, and the argument was settled through mediation.
Region 8 Police volunteer Wal Brown, who is based in Patong, witnessed the fight and said it was alarming. ''These guys were trying to knock each other out with punches, and then Thai security staff joined in,'' he said.
''The security guards created more of a problem. We are having more of these kinds of fights and efforts have to be made to stop them from happening.''
Police did admit to Phuketwan that the battle among four of the Western men was over a woman. A fifth man unconnected with the others became embroiled in the fighting.
''There were some heavy hits landed and it was disturbing to see this kind of thing in Soi Bangla,'' Mr Brown said. Many touts and bouncers now stood around in the tourist walking street trying to attract customers, he said.
''The work of the police volunteers isn't getting any easier,'' Mr Brown added. ''What should happen is that these security men should exercise restraint and control the situation.
''Instead, all too often they appear to think the answer is to jump in and throw punches themselves.''
Several cases where young men have been killed with one punch late at night on the streets of Australian cities have alarmed authorities there.
Phuket attracts many people to train for Muay Thai or martial arts, but some appear to see merit in using their skills to attack rather than only in self-defence.
''I would suggest that now would be a good time for the Army to train the security people in Soi Bangla about how to keep the peace at all times,'' Mr Brown said.
The brawl took place near the Hollywood disco.
Quality tourists you wanted, quality tourists you got!!!!!!
Posted by phuket madness on September 4, 2014 13:11