Pattaya —
Two Turkish men helped stop a Cambodian man from attacking his girlfriend.
The tourists, identified as Mr. Valkan Goglbankan, 33, and Mr. Ibrshim Gokhan Bostan, 23, both Turkish nationals, were found by Pattaya police as they were beating Mr. Sopin Ran, 36, a Cambodian national on Pattaya Klang Road at 2 AM Wednesday morning, July 19th.
The police quickly stopped the three men from fighting further. The two Turkish men sustained slight injuries, while Mr. Sopin suffered a laceration to the mouth and bruises. Two Thai women who were reportedly friends of the Turkish men were present at the scene along with an unidentified woman who appeared to be Mr. Sopin’s girlfriend. The six individuals were taken to the Pattaya police station for questioning.
According to Mr. Sopin, he had a verbal argument with his girlfriend and was chasing her on a motorbike down Pattaya Klang Road. He admitted that he intentionally knocked over his girlfriend’s motorbike and tried to physically stop her from running away when suddenly, the two Turkish men drove by and stopped to attack him.
The police then interviewed the Thai women who were with the two foreigners. They said Mr. Valkan and Mr. Ibrshim noticed Mr. Sopin physically assaulting a woman, so they decided to intervene. At first, the four of them asked Mr. Sopin what he was doing, but Mr. Sopin aggressively told them to mind their own business. He then continued to harm his girlfriend, causing Mr. Valkan and Mr. Ibrshim to have to physically force him to stop.
The statement of Mr. Sopin’s girlfriend was not released to the press and her name withheld as the victim of domestic violence. The police are investigating both sides’ claims.
