British pensioner, 70, attacked by local in Thailand

A British pensioner was brutally attacked by a local in a shocking daylight assault in Thailand. Anton Gilmour Wild, 70, was talking with his friend on Jomtien Beach in 'Sin City' Pattaya when homeless man Anirut Palamat, 27, confronted him. The Thai man accused him of stealing a motorbike before allegedly slapping him across the face, sending the elderly tourist rolling on the sand. CCTV footage shows how the suspect violently stomped on the defenceless pensioner and repeatedly punched him as he lay limp on the beach before bystanders intervened. They called the police following the suspected attack at around noon local time on Thursday. Paramedics treated Anton at the scene. He suffered facial injuries and swelling, and was taken to hospital for treatment. The suspect initially told police he had stopped the Brit from carrying out a motorcycle theft. But he later suddenly bolted across the road before officers tackled him and put him in handcuffs. Police Lieutenant Patcharapol Phrammanee said that Anirut seemed was drunk and incoherent. He said: 'The suspect is currently in custody for causing a disturbance while intoxicated. He is a vagrant, and when we questioned him, he was not making much sense. ‘He appeared to be under the influence of something other than just alcohol, but we have not yet sent his urine for testing. ‘We need to check his fingerprints first. We do not yet know whether he has any previous criminal record. 'He was a vagrant that day and could have just been rambling about anything. ‘The foreigner was also very drunk. He was so intoxicated that he seemed unaware of what was going on and could not communicate properly.' He added that Anton was not seriously injured and was recovering in the hospital. Tourists are regularly attacked or caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed 'Sin City'. Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination. Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV. Despite some success in cleaning up the town's image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.