Pattaya
A beach mat vendor at Jomtien Beach was involved in a late-night altercation with a foreign tourist, after the tourist allegedly slapped him.
The incident occurred in the late hours of March 25th near Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, close to the Pattaya Police Station, Dong Tan Branch. The incident was captured in a video, which showed a large foreign tourist arguing with two Thai men, aged around 25-30.
The foreigner ordered the two men to sit down, then proceeded to allegedly choke and slap them in the face, making loud noises. Despite the aggression, the two men remained silent and did not retaliate. The situation escalated when another young Thai man approached, questioning why the foreigner was hurting the two men, leading to a chaotic fight. The Thai men were then seen throwing a beer bottle at the foreigner.
The Pattaya News reporters visited the scene shortly after the incident. The reporters spoke with the man seen in the video, identified only as Mr. Ball, 32, a mat rental vendor at Jomtien Beach. He explained that he was drinking and renting mats when the foreigner, who appeared to be intoxicated, started the confrontation.
Mr. Ball admitted that he couldn’t understand what the foreigner was saying but that the foreigner slapped his face first. He tried to remain calm, not wanting to cause trouble, especially since he had just recently completed a jail sentence for an undisclosed matter and wanted to live an honest life. However, the altercation escalated when other Thai men stepped in.
Mr. Ball stated that he did not want to press charges. It is unclear if the foreigner, who likely sustained a head injury, filed a police report.
Mr. Ball also mentioned that some tourists might have a negative view of Thai people, but he expressed his desire to turn his life around and continue working honestly by renting mats. He also said Thai people who defend themselves may sometimes be accused of hurting tourists, though he clarified that this may not always be the case.
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