PATTAYA, Thailand – A viral video featuring a well-known influencer, “Kong,” claiming their 50-baht gold necklace was snatched on Pattaya’s Central Beach has stirred debate, with locals and netizens questioning the incident’s authenticity. The clip, posted by a popular social media page, has now been revealed as a promotional stunt for a local shop, bringing an investigation by Pattaya police.
According to the post, Kong and their friend “Petch,” known for an outspoken persona, were standing on the beachfront when a man in a black shirt with English text, approximately 170 cm tall, allegedly snatched Kong’s necklace. Petch, visibly shaken, urged fans to report any sightings of the suspect and shared details of their immediate report to the police. “Kong loves wearing gold—it’s their style. With gold prices soaring, everyone needs to stay vigilant,” Petch said, warning of potential dangers beyond material loss.
The video drew heavy online criticism, with some netizens slamming Pattaya’s safety for tourists, while others suspected it was a staged promotion for a shop or product. Many locals expressed frustration, arguing that such content, if fabricated, tarnishes Pattaya’s reputation as a tourist destination.
On October 13th, local reporters reached out to Pol. Col. Anek Sa-thongyoo, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, who confirmed the incident was found by their investigation to be a promotional gimmick for a local business. Deeming the stunt damaging to Pattaya’s image, Pol. Col. Anek ordered an investigative team to track down the influencer and the shop owner for questioning. “This kind of promotion creates a negative impact on the city,” he stated, adding that legal action would follow. As of now, authorities have been unable to contact either party.
Col. Anek stressed fake clips like this designed to go viral but that hurt the image of Pattaya would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
