PATTAYA, Thailand – On September 21st, 2025, at 4:40 a.m., the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya received a report of a foreign tourist severely injured in an assault near the entrance of an alley opposite VC Hotel in South Pattaya outside an Arabic restaurant. Rescue volunteers were then dispatched to the scene.
At the location, authorities found Mr. Nikolai, a 55-year-old French national, semi-conscious on the road with severe head and nasal injuries, bleeding heavily. First aid was administered on-site before he was rushed to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for urgent medical treatment.
According to Mr. Bike, a 33-year-old eyewitness, the incident began when the victim attempted to cross the street without using a pedestrian crossing. A car driver, possibly operating a hired vehicle for a mobile app taxi service according to Mr. Bike, honked at him, sparking an altercation. The tourist, reportedly upset, struck the vehicle once with his hand. The driver stopped to address the situation, but as he was rolling up his window, the tourist hit the vehicle again. Enraged, the driver, a Thai man, exited the car and struck the tourist in the face with a single punch, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, rendering him unconscious.
Following the assault, the driver fled the scene toward Khao Phratamnak. However, local motorcycle taxi drivers managed to capture a photo of the vehicle’s license plate.
Pattaya City Police are awaiting the victim’s recovery to take his statement. Meanwhile, investigators are reviewing nearby CCTV footage to track down the driver and pursue legal action.
