5-11-2023 (TOKYO) A Thai national has been taken into custody in Yokohama, Japan, in connection with a stabbing incident that unfolded on Thursday night, resulting in the death of one man and the injury of two others.
On November 3, the Isezaki Police Station of Kanagawa Prefectural Police arrested Rungroj Kwankitsarot, a 53-year-old restaurant worker and resident of Yokohama’s Naka Ward, on suspicion of murder.
The accused is alleged to have stabbed a man in the right side of his chest on a street near his workplace in Naka Ward at approximately 7:40 p.m. The suspect denies these allegations, asserting that he was in the kitchen at the time and was unaware of the stabbing.
The deceased victim’s cause of death was determined to be hemorrhagic shock. He had been in the company of four acquaintances, two of whom sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the attack and were subsequently transported to the hospital.
Based on eyewitness accounts and statements, the police believe that the incident may have originated from a confrontation between two groups.
According to police reports, two men, later identified as Thai citizens, were involved in a dispute with a group of Japanese men, which escalated into a physical altercation in front of a Thai restaurant. Witnesses suggest that the dispute began after someone knocked over bicycles parked in front of the restaurant.
A passerby promptly reported the altercation to the authorities. Upon their arrival, the police found three men on the street, each with knife wounds to their stomach and back. Regrettably, one of the men succumbed to his injuries upon reaching the hospital, while the other two are in serious condition. The police have not disclosed details about their names or nationalities.
The police suspect that the disagreement over the toppled bicycles in front of the Thai restaurant may have triggered the incident.
Moreover, a Thai man who claims to be the victim of the altercation has shared his account of the event on social media:
“I will provide a detailed account of the incident because I was the one targeted. Those individuals were Yakuza; they were wandering around, causing chaos by knocking over bicycles in front of every Thai restaurant. My restaurant was the last one they visited, and they entered, creating a scene. Japanese customers were present, witnessing the entire situation, as was I,” he began.
“I confronted them about why they knocked over my bicycle, and their initial response was, ‘I dislike Thai people; all of you should return to Thailand, and all the restaurants in this area should be shut down. I am the owner of this country.’ Without uttering a word, their leader instructed them to encircle and assault me. There were five of them, while I was alone. How could I have possibly defended myself?
“The police examined the CCTV footage and observed that I was being targeted by them from one side. Amidst the chaos, I was disoriented and unaware that someone from the restaurant had come to my aid.
“Let me clarify things for my fellow Thai people. I was merely trying to make a living, and they came looking for trouble. If there are any further developments or if the police question me again, I will share the details. Currently, I sympathize with the man in the restaurant who may face legal consequences for this incident,” the poster concluded.
