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| Britons attacked in Thai resort leave hospital | Britons attacked in Thai resort leave hospital |
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| Three members of a British family who were attacked at a Thai beachside resort have been allowed to leave hospital. | Three members of a British family who were attacked at a Thai beachside resort have been allowed to leave hospital. |
| Lewis and Rosemary Owen, aged 68 and 65, were with their son, also Lewis, in his 40s, when several men attacked them this month during Thai new year celebrations in Hua Hin, a coastal town south of Bangkok. | Lewis and Rosemary Owen, aged 68 and 65, were with their son, also Lewis, in his 40s, when several men attacked them this month during Thai new year celebrations in Hua Hin, a coastal town south of Bangkok. |
| Recently emerged CCTV footage showed a vicious and prolonged assault which started when the younger Lewis accidentally knocked into one of the men and spilled his drinks as the family made their way along a busy street. | Recently emerged CCTV footage showed a vicious and prolonged assault which started when the younger Lewis accidentally knocked into one of the men and spilled his drinks as the family made their way along a busy street. |
| The men, who were already brawling among themselves, then pushed Lewis angrily to the ground. In an attempt to stop them, his mother slapped one, shortly before her husband was punched by another. | The men, who were already brawling among themselves, then pushed Lewis angrily to the ground. In an attempt to stop them, his mother slapped one, shortly before her husband was punched by another. |
| One of the men then punched Rosemary with such force that she was knocked unconscious. Her husband and son continued to be punched and kicked. When she came around her assailant kicked her in the head. All three Owens were left on the pavement as a large crowd watched on. | One of the men then punched Rosemary with such force that she was knocked unconscious. Her husband and son continued to be punched and kicked. When she came around her assailant kicked her in the head. All three Owens were left on the pavement as a large crowd watched on. |
| A spokesman for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said police had arrested six people and charged them with grievous assault on 17 April. | A spokesman for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said police had arrested six people and charged them with grievous assault on 17 April. |
| He said: “An investigation is in process and the suspects will soon be under the jurisdiction of the court. If found guilty, the perpetrators of this incident will face full justice under Thai law. | He said: “An investigation is in process and the suspects will soon be under the jurisdiction of the court. If found guilty, the perpetrators of this incident will face full justice under Thai law. |
| “The Tourism Authority of Thailand would like to express our deepest sorrow to the family who were subjected to the assault … We hope that you recover from your injuries and make a swift and full recovery. TAT would like to assure international travellers that this was an isolated incident, not targeted on any group of foreign tourists in particular. The situation was exacerbated by alcohol.” | “The Tourism Authority of Thailand would like to express our deepest sorrow to the family who were subjected to the assault … We hope that you recover from your injuries and make a swift and full recovery. TAT would like to assure international travellers that this was an isolated incident, not targeted on any group of foreign tourists in particular. The situation was exacerbated by alcohol.” |
| Lewis and Rosemary are expected to return to the UK next week, and their son is already back in Singapore, where he works, the TAT said. | Lewis and Rosemary are expected to return to the UK next week, and their son is already back in Singapore, where he works, the TAT said. |
| A police spokesman, Chaiyakorn Sriladecho, told the Associated Press: “The men say they are sorry and that they wouldn’t have done this if they weren’t drunk.” | A police spokesman, Chaiyakorn Sriladecho, told the Associated Press: “The men say they are sorry and that they wouldn’t have done this if they weren’t drunk.” |
| The father and son required stitches for head injuries, while the mother suffered serious head and eye injuries, Chaiyakorn said. | The father and son required stitches for head injuries, while the mother suffered serious head and eye injuries, Chaiyakorn said. |
| The Foreign Office said it had no information on their condition. A spokeswoman said: “Our staff have been in contact with the family to offer assistance and will remain in contact with the local authorities.” | The Foreign Office said it had no information on their condition. A spokeswoman said: “Our staff have been in contact with the family to offer assistance and will remain in contact with the local authorities.” |
| The Owens’ neighbours in Wenvoe, near Cardiff, expressed shock at the incident. John Miles, 65, a retired lecturer at Cardiff University, said he learned about the attack in the newspaper. | The Owens’ neighbours in Wenvoe, near Cardiff, expressed shock at the incident. John Miles, 65, a retired lecturer at Cardiff University, said he learned about the attack in the newspaper. |
| He said: “I later saw Rose and Lew’s daughter in the village, who told me that it was her mum, dad and brother who had been attacked. It came as a big shock. She said she hadn’t slept all night and looked so worried. It must be hell for her knowing this has happened and being on the other side of the world. It is dreadful. | He said: “I later saw Rose and Lew’s daughter in the village, who told me that it was her mum, dad and brother who had been attacked. It came as a big shock. She said she hadn’t slept all night and looked so worried. It must be hell for her knowing this has happened and being on the other side of the world. It is dreadful. |
| “Lew and Rose are really well-liked people and everyone is thinking of them. When they come back I know that everyone will do whatever they can to help.” | “Lew and Rose are really well-liked people and everyone is thinking of them. When they come back I know that everyone will do whatever they can to help.” |
| Miles added that the couple often went to Thailand to visit friends and their son had flown out from Singapore to meet them. “Lew and Rose are a really lovely couple and very hard-working,” he said. “They all know the lay of the land there and the local customs. They are genuinely lovely people, I can’t imagine why anyone would ever want to hurt them.” | Miles added that the couple often went to Thailand to visit friends and their son had flown out from Singapore to meet them. “Lew and Rose are a really lovely couple and very hard-working,” he said. “They all know the lay of the land there and the local customs. They are genuinely lovely people, I can’t imagine why anyone would ever want to hurt them.” |
| The Owens’ daughter, Ceri, visited her parents’ bungalow on Wednesday and is reportedly helping to arrange flights to get them home. | The Owens’ daughter, Ceri, visited her parents’ bungalow on Wednesday and is reportedly helping to arrange flights to get them home. |
| A contributor to the Hua Hin internet forum said he had rushed to help the family during the attack. As revellers were leaving for the night, groups of Thai youths had gathered on the street looking for trouble. | A contributor to the Hua Hin internet forum said he had rushed to help the family during the attack. As revellers were leaving for the night, groups of Thai youths had gathered on the street looking for trouble. |
| He wrote: “Within 20-30 metres of leaving the bar the Thais were punching the 65-year-old lady in the face!! The elderly gentleman was down on the floor and their son was beaten very badly!!! At this point I caught up to the scene and pushed one of the youths away from the woman.” | He wrote: “Within 20-30 metres of leaving the bar the Thais were punching the 65-year-old lady in the face!! The elderly gentleman was down on the floor and their son was beaten very badly!!! At this point I caught up to the scene and pushed one of the youths away from the woman.” |
| He said he was left needing dental work for his own injuries. “I got severely punched and kicked for my troubles, but felt the need to protect this frail lady.” | He said he was left needing dental work for his own injuries. “I got severely punched and kicked for my troubles, but felt the need to protect this frail lady.” |
| Hua Hin is one of Thailand’s top five beach resorts and the country is increasingly popular with UK tourists, the TAT said, with 940,000 Britons visiting in 2015. During the Thai new year Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, major streets are taken over by a giant water fight for three days as people party continuously. The water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal. | Hua Hin is one of Thailand’s top five beach resorts and the country is increasingly popular with UK tourists, the TAT said, with 940,000 Britons visiting in 2015. During the Thai new year Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, major streets are taken over by a giant water fight for three days as people party continuously. The water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal. |
| The British embassy had begun a safety campaign to make sure tourists were aware of the dangers. Car accidents spike during the festival and revellers are often drunk, but attacks on tourists are rare. | The British embassy had begun a safety campaign to make sure tourists were aware of the dangers. Car accidents spike during the festival and revellers are often drunk, but attacks on tourists are rare. |