A Thai woman seen brandishing a knife and chasing people is set to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, after an attack along Sukhumvit Road left two people injured.
Sukhumvit Road is one of the busy areas in Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok, stretching from the southeast to the city centre. It is known for its mix of shopping malls, restaurants and nightlife, and is a major hub for both tourists and residents.
The incident seemingly took place on the evening of Friday (Jan 16). In videos that have gone viral on social media, the woman is seen chasing people along the street and waving the knife.
People are heard shouting warnings and seen avoiding her by jumping across the street railings.
Bangkok Post reported that one person browsing a vendor’s stall received a cut on her back.
Thai-language news site Thairath reported that the woman injured two people in the frenzy.
In one clip, she is seen getting into a taxi, but bystanders and officers quickly surrounded the vehicle and nabbed her before she could escape. The bystanders and officers also alerted the driver in the car to get out of the vehicle.
The two victims were found to have suffered only minor wounds. They declined medical treatment and did not want to press charges.
Witnesses, including motorcycle taxi drivers in the area, told Thairath that the woman had been around the area for some time and was known for verbally harassing others and having a quick temper, though she had not been violent in the past.
Last month, the woman was allegedly involved in an incident on a public bus in the Thonglor area, where she threatened passengers with a knife.
In social media clips, a bus attendant is seen grabbing the woman’s hand and the bus driver later restrains her and removes her from the bus, Bangkok Post reported.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/bangkok-knife-threat-attack-sukhumvit-road-tourism-psychiatric-help-5867921
