Families of Malaysian Tourists Set on Fire in Bangkok Seek Urgent Transfer Home

BANGKOK: The families of two Malaysian tourists injured in a horrific arson attack in Bangkok have appealed to Thai authorities to expedite their transfer back to Malaysia once they are deemed medically fit to travel.

The victims, identified as Gan Xiao Zhen, 27, and her boyfriend Ong Yik Leong, 26, were attacked on Thursday night (Aug 7) near a shopping mall on Ratchadamri Road. The assailant, an unemployed 30-year-old man from Sa Kaeo province, allegedly doused them with paint thinner before setting them on fire. Members of the public subdued the suspect and handed him over to police.

Gan’s father, Gan Kin In, 80, said his daughter had only arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday (Aug 6) for a short holiday, a day before the attack.

“My heart felt uneasy when Xiao Zhen told me a week ago that she planned to travel to Thailand,” he told Bernama at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. “There have been too many incidents here this year, but she reassured me it was safe.”

Both families met with Thai authorities and hospital staff for a briefing on Saturday. They requested medical reports on the victims’ conditions to consult doctors in Malaysia about a possible transfer.

Kin In said Xiao Zhen, currently in the hospital’s Burn Unit, sustained 36% second-degree burns to her face, chest, and arm. She is conscious, stable, and communicates in writing. Doctors estimate she may need about a month to recover.

Ong, meanwhile, is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Police General Hospital. He is in stable condition and not facing life-threatening injuries.

The families expressed concern over the challenges of securing accommodation in Bangkok for an extended period and urged for a swift repatriation once the victims are cleared for travel.