A 30-year-old man in Bangkok has been arrested after he allegedly slashed a Vietnamese woman with a cutter knife, before reportedly telling police that he “does not like overweight people”.
The incident took place at around 11.30am on June 27 outside a convenience store at the entrance of Soi Silom 5 in Bangkok’s Silom area, according to Khaosod English.
Woman attacked while walking in Silom
The victim was identified as 29-year-old Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram, a Vietnamese national who works at an advertising company in Thailand.
According to The Thaiger, she was walking along the pavement when the suspect allegedly slashed her before fleeing the scene. She later received treatment at a hospital before returning to Thung Maha Mek Police Station to identify the suspect.
Khaosod English reported that police were alerted by the manager of the convenience store shortly after the attack.
Suspect arrested after police checked CCTV
Police later reviewed CCTV footage from the area and managed to track down the suspect in a nearby alley.
The suspect was identified as 30-year-old Etsana, also known as Film. A cutter knife believed to have been used in the attack was also seized as evidence.
He was later charged with causing bodily harm and taken into custody for legal proceedings.
Reportedly weighed 120kg himself
During questioning, the suspect allegedly admitted to the attack and claimed that he acted because he “does not like overweight people”, police said.
In a detail that made the case even more shocking, The Thaiger reported that the suspect allegedly told investigators he disliked overweight women because he himself weighed 120kg.
He allegedly claimed that he did not want anyone else to be overweight and wanted to be “the only one”. He also allegedly said that seeing an overweight woman walk past made him angry, which then led to the attack.
Residents reportedly raised concerns before
According to Khaosod English, residents in the area had reportedly expressed concern over previous incidents involving the suspect before the attack.
The Thaiger also reported that some residents alleged the suspect had previously chased and assaulted overweight women in the area, though this has not been independently verified.
The case has since drawn attention online due to the alleged motive behind the attack.
