reader Posted March 27 Posted March 27 From Pattaya Mail A video clip was shared by a tourist, capturing a violent altercation that occurred at Jomtien Beach, near the Pattaya Police Station, Dongtan Branch at approximately 11:06 PM on March 25. The video, lasting about 4 minutes, shows a confrontation between a foreign tourist and two Thai men, aged between 25 and 30 years. The foreign tourist, who appeared to be intoxicated, began confronting the two Thais and forced them to sit down. He then proceeded to choke and slap both individuals in the face, making loud slapping sounds. Despite this, the two Thai men remained passive and did not retaliate. The situation escalated when another Thai man, a teenager, intervened and asked why the foreign tourist was assaulting the others. This led to a scuffle where the Thai man, unable to defend himself, threw a beer bottle at the foreigner. The situation quickly became chaotic, with people around attempting to break up the fight. After the police arrived to intervene, no formal complaints were filed, and the Thai man involved, identified as Mr. Ball, a 32-year-old man who rents beach mats to tourists, stated that he had been drinking and was unsure what had triggered the foreigner’s aggression. Mr. Ball explained that he tried to stay calm and avoid conflict, having recently been released from prison. He admitted that the foreign tourist slapped him first, and although he tolerated it at first, he eventually could not endure the situation any longer, leading to the physical confrontation. Mr. Ball further expressed that some tourists may view Thai people negatively, but he only wanted to make an honest living by renting mats on the beach. He emphasized that although tourists may feel safe in Pattaya, they should not be aggressive, as retaliation could lead to serious consequences. He added that he did not file a complaint, though he suspected the foreigner may have suffered a head injury. In the aftermath, the scene was calm, with many tourists still enjoying the beach. Among the locals, however, the incident was already a hot topic. A man named Ball, who was one of the individuals involved, spoke to the press about the confrontation. Ball explained that he had been calmly sitting, drinking with his mat rental business nearby, when the foreign tourist suddenly attacked him. Despite the surprise assault, Ball kept his composure, not wanting to escalate the situation, as he had recently finished serving a sentence and hoped for a fresh start. However, the provocations grew too much to bear, and the fight broke out. Ball made it clear that he didn’t want to press charges, but he did express frustration at how foreigners sometimes behave when they feel they can act without consequences. “Some tourists might not know the reality of how things work here,” he said. “Not all foreigners have good manners. When they are bigger and drunk, they feel entitled to hurt those smaller than them. But the truth is, even the biggest can fall.” Continues with video https://www.pattayamail.com/news/fight-erupts-at-jomtien-beach-igniting-debate-on-respect-and-behavior-between-locals-and-tourists-in-pattaya-495431 ================ Motorcycle taxi driver strikes German tourist with helmet A brutal attack occurred on a German tourist at Pattaya Beach, where a group of men, numbering around 10, savagely beat the victim in the early hours of March 25. The attack was captured on video by a bystander, clearly showing the men punching, kicking, and even using a helmet to strike the tourist. After the victim fell to the ground, the assailants continued to stomp and kick him in the face without mercy. Following the incident, the police quickly apprehended three suspects. However, a new development occurred on March 26, when 55-year-old Somchai (a pseudonym), a motorcycle taxi driver, voluntarily surrendered to Pattaya City Police. Somchai admitted to being one of the attackers seen in the video, though he claimed he did not start the altercation. Somchai explained that the German tourist had been driving erratically, possibly under the influence, and appeared to be looking for trouble with the motorcycle taxi drivers. A group of young men tried to restrain him, but when they were unable to control the tourist, Somchai intervened, using his helmet to subdue him. Somchai stated that he felt compelled to help defend the Thai workers involved in the altercation, but he admitted that his actions went too far and expressed regret for what had transpired. He emphasized that he had no prior relationship with the other attackers and would have preferred to de-escalate the situation. Continues at https://www.pattayamail.com/news/motorcycle-taxi-driver-strikes-german-tourist-with-helmet-in-pattaya-clash-surrenders-to-police-495412 Ruthrieston 1 Quote
