Junie Browning Turns Himself Over to Phuket Police

Junie Browning's run through Thailand has seemingly reached the end of the line. After going on the lam to avoid arrest, it appears Junie has turned himself over to Phuket police, ending a chapter of this story of epic proportions.

Browning was on the lam from Thai police officers for allegedly causing chaos at a bar and a hospital. Onlookers claim that Browning was attacking a female patron during a party at a bar in Patak Road Karon. A melee ensued and participants had to be taken to a nearby hospital, where he supposedly went on a rampage again. Junie then fled from the scene when police were involved.

Junie's story differs quite radically, as referenced in a story to the Phuket Gazette:

Sunday night, we arrived at a small bar in Karon with two other females, one of whom was friends with the owner. It happened to be the birthday of the bar owner, Simon Wilson Menzies, so he was surrounded by a group of 12-15 of his closest friends who had been drinking in celebration previous to our arrival.

My girlfriend and I had a few drinks, and seeing we didn't know anyone, had decided to leave to go home. We had contacted a cab and he was on his way to meet us. He would call when he arrived. A discussion via text message with one of the girls I had arrived with, resulted in MJ Castro and Simon Menzies confronting me in the street, MJ screaming and swinging her hands in front of my face.

I do not know why she was mad. Nothing that I had said involved her or her friends whatsoever. I assumed she was mad that we were leaving the party because we were on our way out to meet our cab. Without any notice I found myself in a physical altercation with Simon in the street.

I could tell from the moment he stepped in front of me, he was looking for a fight. At this point, it just involved me and Simon, my girlfriend was standing next to us. In only a few seconds, my girlfriend was thrown across the street and I had been hit from behind in the back of the head by a glass beer bottle.

I stood up looking for my attacker and found myself surrounded by a mob of people. It was no longer a man on man "bar brawl" but a fight for my survival. I was trying to defend myself in the street when at some point I fell back to the ground.

They [dragged] me back into the bar where they pummeled me with punches and kicks. It was me against everyone. For a second time I received a massive blow over the head with a thick glass mug that split my head open and made me fall to the floor.

He proceeded to tell the story of the incident that occurred at the hospital:

They began to assess my wounds and stitch up the three large gashes on my head. Without any consideration to my safety or the events that had just occurred, they placed both Menzies accompanied by MJ Castro, and the man who had attacked me with a mug, in the beds right beside me.

Needless to say, I became furious and again words were exchanged. As it escalated a second time into a physical fight, MJ attempted to intervene and was struck in the rumble. Security and Patong Police arrived and restrained all parties. I was taken into the waiting lobby on a stretcher in handcuffs in front of numerous people to finish giving me medical attention.

At no point was I rude or uncooperative with either the medical staff or the police. Taken into consideration the severity of my wounds and my demeanor and my girlfriend's statement, the police officer removed my handcuffs.

We were told by the officer that we should stay the night in the hospital to have my head monitored and would be able to go home with no charges the next morning. It was obvious to him that I was the victim.

Whatever side of the story you believe, the strangeness of this story is not over by a long shot. With Thailand's nefariously unstable justice and policing system, one's imagination could run wild with all the possible outcomes in this case. We truly hope that the situation is handled calmly and safely.

HT: Middle Easy, Phuket Wan