An Aussie couple's dream holiday to Thailand turned into a nightmare when a street vendor allegedly beat up the husband after they refused to buy something.
Nayeem Hasan Antu and Sunayna Mandipa from Sydney were walking through Bangkok's popular Palladium night markets on December 26 when things took an ugly turn.
The couple, who were also from Australia with their family, perused the street food and clothing for sale as they made their way through the busy area.
Ms Mandipa and her mother browsed through some clothes at different stalls before moving on as they could not find the right size.
The action reportedly angered a seller and he started demanding money from the mother and daughter.
“When we objected to the payment because we had not bought clothes or taken pictures with his products, he started shouting that Indians should not be allowed into Thailand,” Ms Mandipa told 7 News.
“I made it clear that I was not Indian, but Australian, which seemed to further fuel his anger.”
The seller allegedly pushed her, prompting Mr Hasan Antu to intervene.
Medical tests showed that Mr Hasan Antu has blood clots in his brain and he also suffered a small fracture in his skull
Blood was left on the sidewalk after the alleged bashing, and the couple provided a photo to local police
'My husband stood in front of me and asked the man to back off.
“In an instant, (the seller) turned around, grabbed a metal bar with a sharp, pointed head and hit my husband twice in the head and once in the chest.”
Mr Hasan Antu suffered serious injuries and bleeding from the side of his head. The seller allegedly ran away.
Ms Mandipa said she “panicked” and frantically tried to stop the bleeding, shouting to nearby bystanders as they watched.
“I called the Thai police and the language barrier made it even harder to communicate,” she said.
Ms Mandipa said they were also not provided with an interpreter while speaking to officers.
She claims that the first hospital Hasan Antu was transferred to refused to treat him unless he paid AUD 500 in advance to cover the costs of his medical treatment.
The Australian tourists were forced to go to another hospital where Mr Hasan Antu received multiple stitches for his injuries.
The couple also provided a photo of the suspected perpetrator to local police
The pair suffered another blow as they had to pay their medical bills out of pocket because they did not have travel insurance.
The couple, who tried to book flights back to Australia on the day Hasan Antu was allegedly attacked, flew back home on New Year's Day.
Mr Hasan Antu underwent further tests and was also given a CT scan. The tests showed he has blood clots in his brain and he also suffered a small fracture in his skull.
Mrs Mandipa said her husband is slowly recovering from his ordeal and the incident has taken a toll on both of them.
The search for evidence of the alleged attack also became difficult when guards refused to hand over CCTV footage.
The guards also did not reveal the name of the seller, but Mrs Mandipa managed to provide police with a photo of him, as well as an image of her husband's blood on the pavement.
She also gave officers the stall number and location of the store.
Thai police are also said to have taken their medical records in an attempt to get the seller to pay the cost of their treatment, but Ms Mandipa does not believe that will happen.
The incident happened at Bangkok's popular Palladium night markets
She said police in Thailand told her racism against Australians was not illegal.
Ms Mandipa also contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on December 27 after police said the Australian embassy may have to intervene to resolve the matter.
DFAT officials said the matter is between the couple and Thai police.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted DFAT for further comment.
