A 26-year-old construction worker stabbed a middle-aged man twice under his right armpit, severing a major artery and causing serious injury, after a dispute over sharing a bicycle.
At 17:00 on 25 July 2026, Police Lieutenant Sathaporn Sawatdee, deputy patrol chief at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, received a report from the Rom Pho Thong radio center about a stabbing with a seriously injured unconscious victim at the exercise area of Nong Prajak Public Park on Paoniyom Road, opposite Udon Thani Regional Hospital. He and emergency responders from the hospital and Udorn Sawang Methatham rescue volunteers rushed to the scene. CCTV footage from Udon Thani Municipality captured the incident.
At the scene, Mr. Chalard, 52, was found stabbed twice under his right armpit with a screwdriver, severing a major blood vessel and lying unconscious in a pool of blood. Police trainee Mr. Wathanachai Hemburut, 23, from the Provincial Police Region 4 Training Center, who was interning at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, removed his T-shirt to tie around the victim's arm to stop the bleeding, while rescue volunteers provided initial first aid.
The emergency team then transported the victim to the emergency room at Udon Thani Regional Hospital. At the scene, police found two bloodstained screwdrivers, which were collected as evidence.
A 38-year-old construction worker from Khon Kaen province, who witnessed the incident, said he works at the hospital construction site and knows the victim, Mr. Chalard, who lives near Nong Prajak Park. The suspect, Mr. Sitthisak, 26, works with him and they have previously eaten together with the victim.
Before the stabbing, Mr. Chalard and Mr. Sitthisak had a physical fight that left Mr. Chalard with a head injury requiring emergency treatment at the hospital, after which he returned to work. Later that evening, they argued again near Nong Prajak Park while fighting over a public bicycle available for communal use. The quarrel escalated to a fight, and Mr. Sitthisak stabbed Mr. Chalard with a screwdriver. Bystanders saw Mr. Chalard bleeding heavily and called the police.
Police trainee Mr. Wathanachai Hemburut, 23, said he was jogging at Nong Prajak Park when locals alerted him about a man stabbed in the right armpit with severe bleeding. He rushed to the scene, found the victim unconscious and bleeding, and used his shirt to apply a tourniquet. Emergency responders soon arrived to take the victim to hospital, while the assailant fled the scene.
Lieutenant Sathaporn Sawatdee led police to the construction site at Udon Thani Regional Hospital but did not find the suspect, Mr. Sitthisak. Workers said he ran away upon seeing the police. Authorities are continuing the search to arrest him and proceed with legal action.