PATTAYA – A party at a pool villa in Pattaya turned into a criminal case when a British man punched a Russian man with a single blow, causing him to fall to the ground. The Russian man later died in the hospital. The British man revealed that he acted out of anger but did not think his opponent would die.
The incident occurred at a pool villa in View Point Village, Soi Chaiyaphruek 1, Moo 12, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, around 2:50 a.m. on May 27. Mr. Igor, a 36-year-old Russian, was punched in the face once by a British man at the party before falling and hitting his head on the ground, sustaining serious injuries.
The medical team tried to save his life but was unsuccessful. He passed away at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Later, at 1:00 p.m., after identifying the perpetrator, Pol. Lt. Col. Nawin Thirawit, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, ordered the investigation team to request an arrest warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court for Mr. Ricki, a 35-year-old British national. The police went to arrest him, charging him with “assaulting another person, causing death.”
Mr. Ricki was arrested at a guest house in Ban Amphoe, Na Jomtien Subdistrict, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province, about 10 km from the pool villa where the incident occurred. He was taken into custody for questioning at Pattaya City Police Station.
Ms. Mod, 28, the Thai wife of Mr. Ricki, said that before the incident, her husband sent her a map location to join the party at the pool villa with a group of friends. Not long after the party started, she excused herself to return to work. Around 3 a.m., her husband sent her a message saying he wanted to go home. Worried, she quickly returned to the villa but found her husband walking in the middle of the street.
Ms. Mod revealed details of her husband’s statement to the police, saying that while people at the party were drinking until they were drunk, Mr. Igor began to make flirtatious comments toward their daughter, even though Mr. Igor’s wife was also at the party.
The Russian man then began to sexually harass their daughter, walking up to her and whispering in her ear that he wanted to have sex with her. This angered Mr. Ricki, who punched Mr. Igor in the face once, causing him to fall to the ground.
He did not think his actions would lead to the man’s death, and he regrets what he did.
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