The first rule of slapping a friend across the back of the head is to make sure it actually is your friend you’re slapping and not a gangster.

A 30-year-old man who failed to follow this rule was beaten by a bunch of thugs in Kampong Cham town on Wednesday.

Police said that after the man had confused the gangster with his friend, the gangster put a callout to his crew, who promptly arrived and administered a beating.

Police arrived in time to arrest two perpetrators, while the others fled. DEUM AMPIL