Norwegian tourist charged for killing British man at Phuket resort

PHUKET: A Norwegian tourist has been charged with killing a British man after the two were fighting over the Norwegian causing too much noise in his hotel room at 4am at a resort on Phuket’s west coast.

tourismcrimeviolencepolice

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Thursday 22 August 2019, 04:52PM

Norwegian tourist Roger Bullman (right), 53, arrives at Karon Police Station to answer questions after the deadly fight early yesterday morning (Aug 21). Photo: Tourist Assistance Centre (TAC)

UPDATE: Karon Chief Police Col Prawit Sutthirueangarun and Maj Techin Deethongon of the Karon Police, who responded to the incident, have since given a much more comprehensive explanation of the sequence of events that occured, including Norwegian tourist Roger Bullman admitting that he broke into Mr Bajaj's room by breaking through the balcony door and admitting that he held Mr Bajaj in a choke hold.

Mr Bullman has now been charged with manslaughter and trespass by using violence. To see the full updated story, click here.

Maj Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police named the Norwegian as 53-year-old Roger Bullman, from Oslo.

The incident occurred at at a resort in Karon early yesterday morning (Aug 21), Maj Ekkachai told The Phuket News today.

British national Amitpal Singh Bajaj, 34, came to Phuket on holiday with his wife, who is a Singaporean national, and their one-year-and-eight-month-old baby boy, also a Singaporean national, he added.

Mr Bullman and his wife were staying in the room next to the Bajaj family.

“Mr Bullman was drunk and causing so much noise that hotel security came to warn Mr Bullman twice,” Maj Ekkachai said.

At about 4am, Mr Bajaj confronted Mr Bullman over the noise, and a fight ensued.

“Mr Bajaj carried a steak knife into Mr Bullman’s room. They started fighting and Mr Bajaj stabbed Mr Bullman in left shoulder,” he explained.

“Then Mr Bullman had Mr Bajaj in a choke hold, and continued to choke him,” he added.

“Mr Bullman had previously been trained in marital arts, but he said he did not attempt to kill Mr Bajaj. He didn’t think that Mr Bajaj had died,” Maj Ekkachai said.

Mr Bullman has been charged with causing harm to another person resulting in death, Maj Ekkachai confirmed.

He has been released on bail by the Phuket Provincial Court, he added.

Maj Ekkachai declined to confirm the bail amount, but Norwegian media have already reported that the amount was 60,000 kroner (About B200,000).

Mr Bullman now must remain in Thailand until the charge against has been heard in court, Maj Ekkachai said.

British consular officials are in contact with Mr Bajaj’s family, he added.