A British man suffered multiple stabs wounds as he defended his girlfriend from a sex attack by a gang in Thailand.
Jack Cole, 21, was stabbed across his face and body as he protected April Clifton from the mob of seven.
The couple were on holiday in the beach resort of Ao Nang when four men and three women suddenly pounced on student April.
Recruitment officer Jack, of Bristol, fought off the ringleader but was then surrounded and repeatedly stabbed.
He says he thought each blow was a punch – but then realised he was being slashed and stabbed.
The gang fled and April, 21, was unharmed but Jack suffered wounds to his face, arms, chest and legs.
Jack was recovering in hospital in Thailand yesterday and believes the terrifying assault was sexually motivated.
He said: ”It was a calculated attack. They drove past us several times checking us out. We thought they had gone but they came out of the shadows and attacked April.
”They laughed as they grabbed April as a mob. There were seven of them. Four men and three girls.
”I knocked the guy down who had grabbed April and then they crowded around me and I thought they were punching me.
”But it seems every punch was a stab. They were shouting in English ‘Come on. Come on’.
”I saw that April had managed to run away to the safety of a local dive shop and I fell to the ground as the group ran away laughing.
”I managed to stagger up to a foreigner who I begged for help and people came to staunch the flow of blood.
”There was no reason for the attack. We had never seen these people before.
”They appeared to be driving in a gang looking for foreign victims. They made no attempt to take my wallet. They were just interested in April.”
The couple had been staying at the luxury Centara Grand Beach Resort Hotel and were attacked as they walked to the Nopprarat Thara pier.
They were set to catch a speedboat to their resort in neighbouring Plai Plong Bay when they were attacked.
A British ex-pat, who runs the dive shop in Ao Nang, put a post about the attack on a Thai forum and said he helped them get to hospital.
He said: ”I accompanied them to the Krabi hospital where I witnessed the same old story. You pay or no treatment.
”The resort where they were staying kindly brought his and hers passports, money and the lifesaving Insurance.”
He added: “In Ao Nang. I fear that another tourist death is imminent. Gangs of teenage kids, armed with knives and machetes roam the roads like something out of a Hollywood horror movie. WTF is wrong with this place?”
Jack works for Office Angels and April has finished her studies and was planning to look for a job after returning from their dream holiday.
April’s father has flown out to be with his daughter, who Jack says is scared to go out alone.
The British Embassy is providing full consular assistance from their office in Phuket.
Three of the seven suspects are being held by Krabi Provincial Police. Another four are being hunted in the Nong Talay area of Krabi.
Ao Nang has been the scene of several attacks on tourists this year and three months ago a 19-year-old Dutch model was raped in the area.
Police arrested her alleged attacker, but he was given bail immediately.
Her Dutch father subsequently posted a music video entitled “Evil Man of Krabi” attacking the Thai justice system.
