Pattaya, Thailand – February 20th, 2025
A chaotic scene unfolded this week in South Pattaya when local residents and motorcycle taxi drivers chased and detained an allegedly intoxicated Indian man accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a Thai woman and injuring a local resident. The incident, which escalated into a violent confrontation, occurred in front of the Bay Walk Market on Beach Road in Pattaya on Wednesday evening, February 19th.
On the day in question, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation Rescue Unit’s radio center received an urgent report of a physical altercation involving a Thai individual and a foreign national, with injuries reported. Rescue teams promptly arrived at the scene to investigate.
Upon arrival, they discovered Mr. Ruangsak Noksunthon, a 48-year-old Thai man and taxi driver, also known by his nickname of “Mee,” who was severely injured. He had sustained a serious injury to his right knee, a black eye, and a cracked lip. After receiving first aid from the rescue team, Mr. Ruangsak was transported to Banglamung Hospital for further treatment.
In an interview with The Pattaya News reporters yesterday, February 20th, during the daytime, Mr. Ruangsak recounted the events leading up to his injuries. He explained that he had heard a Thai woman screaming for help on Pattaya Beach after being allegedly grabbed inappropriately by a group of Indian tourists. The woman’s cries prompted the group to scatter, with one of the men fleeing in Mr. Ruangsak’s direction. Attempting to intervene, Mr. Ruangsak was attacked by the fleeing tourist, knocked to the ground, and left with the injuries described.
The situation quickly escalated as a group of motorcycle taxi drivers and local villagers rushed to Mr. Ruangsak’s aid. What began as a verbal confrontation with the Indian tourists spiraled into a physical brawl, drawing in more locals as tensions boiled over. The chaos continued until Pattaya City Police were called to intervene and restore order.
Video evidence obtained by reporters, including footage from nearby CCTV cameras, captured the intensity of the incident although it is difficult to tell what began and who began the problem. The recordings show the Indian tourists attempting to flee across the road from the beach, lashing out at anyone in their path in their escape and causing injuries to Thai bystanders. The motorcycle taxi drivers and local residents can be seen stepping in, leading to the disorderly scenes that followed.
Pattaya City Police reported that one of the Indian tourists, who was visibly intoxicated, has been detained as of press time but has not released any public statements or given his perspective of the incident to the press. Authorities are currently coordinating with the injured parties and witnesses to gather statements as part of an ongoing investigation. Legal proceedings are expected to follow once all evidence and testimonies are collected.
It was also reported by the women involved to Pattaya Police that everyone in the brawl suffered some minor injuries and the original situation had escalated due to one of the Indian tourists filming them without permission and refusing to delete the clips, although the claims of sexual assault are being looked into by police and as to who actually struck first.
