Less than a day after being called out for inaction by TV news, Phuket police magically solved the case of an American tourist stomped by a pub security guard, fining the Phuket pub guard only 1,000 baht.
Bryce Alan Terzian, 33, claimed Sunday he was at the Laguna pub (which actually is now called the Zhu pub) in Rawai Subdistrict around 4 a.m. when he got into an argument with the DJ. He then claimed he was dragged away by a Phuket pub guard who stomped on him, breaking his nose. He was treated at Chalong Hospital.
Terzian complained that Chalong police had not investigated his case, even though he reported it April 8. The national ThaiRath TV program broadcast his claims and, suddenly, Phuket Provincial Police were all over it, posting an unsigned update to their Facebook page less than 12 hours after the news report.
Phuket police denied they were stalling the case, saying they were waiting for a medical report, despite Terzian saying he had supplied one. Sure enough, the “missing” report turned up on an investigator’s desk as soon as the case made news.
But police also splashed water all over Terzian’s complaint pointing out, unsurprisingly, Terzian was drunk when he got into the spat with the DJ and Phuket pub guard, and that the American lied when he said his nose was broken.
Phuket Pub Guard Apologizes
Phuket cops called Terzian and Phuket pub guard Prasert Madsatun in for questioning Monday and, suddenly, everything was just peachy. The American said he didn’t want to press charges after all and Prasert apologized. The two men shook hands and called the whole affair a “misunderstanding” and Prasert paid his 1,000-baht fine for his role in the ruckus.
While it was case-closed on the assault, the question of why the Zhu pub was even open at 4 a.m. – and why police seem so unconcerned it was – remains unsolved.
