Pattaya, Thailand – A shooting incident involving teenagers at Pattaya Beach in Chonburi province has led to the arrest of two suspects, with police uncovering a motive rooted in a social media feud and ongoing rivalry. The incident, which occurred at 4:00 AM on August 13th, 2025, left a 19-year-old unscathed after bullets pierced his clothing but missed his body, which he credited his protective amulet for.
The victim, PanyaWit Jittathamset, was at the beach celebrating Mother’s Day with his mother when the attack took place. According to PanyaWit, he had checked in on social media, inadvertently revealing his location. This allowed a rival group, with whom he had prior conflicts over a woman, to track him down and open fire. Two shots were fired, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Following the incident, Pattaya City Police, led by Deputy Investigation Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Arut Sapanon, launched an investigation. By 8:00 AM on the same day, authorities had identified and apprehended the shooter, a 16-year-old identified only as “Obas” (alias), at his residence in Central Pattaya. Police also seized a Glock 17 magazine-fed pistol used in the attack, which belonged to a 15-year-old identified as “Cha” (alias), a close friend of Obas. The weapon was recovered from Cha’s home in Soi Nern Plub Wan, where it was revealed that Cha had taken the gun from his deceased grandfather.
Both suspects, members of a group called “Arale,” were brought in for questioning at the Pattaya City Police Station. As minors, their interrogation was conducted in the presence of their guardians, as required by law.
During questioning, the pair admitted to the shooting, citing a longstanding feud that began in June 2025. The conflict had previously escalated to the point of police involvement, with the suspects’ group paying over 20,000 baht in compensation. However, tensions persisted, fueled by ongoing online bullying and provocations directed at a female friend in their group. The suspects claimed that PanyaWit’s group continued to mock and harass the woman, leading to their decision to act after spotting his check-in at Pattaya Beach.
Police have documented the investigation and are preparing to charge Obas and Cha, with further proceedings to involve multidisciplinary professionals and prosecutors due to the suspects’ juvenile status. Authorities are also pursuing six other members of the Arale group believed to have been involved in the incident.
PanyaWit, the targeted victim, spoke to reporters and acknowledged a heated online exchange with a woman from the rival group, who is reportedly in a relationship with one of its members. He claimed the woman initiated the verbal conflict, which escalated through mutual online insults. PanyaWit also revealed that his group had clashed with the woman repeatedly in the past. On June 4th, 2025, the rival group allegedly attacked his motorcycle with a knife, causing damage documented in video evidence. Less than three months later, the shooting incident marked a dangerous escalation of the feud.
Pattaya police are continuing their investigation, vowing to bring all involved parties to justice while urging the public to refrain from vigilante actions and resolve conflicts through legal channels.
