PATTAYA, May 4th, 2026– A 29-year-old Thai man was physically assaulted by a foreign tourist in the early hours of Monday morning after politely warning him not to smoke cannabis in a public beach area of Pattaya, where the strong smell was disturbing other visitors. A clip of the fight went viral and has sparked heavy discussion by Thais of ending the current so-called free visa policy and focusing on quality tourists only.
The incident occurred around 2:00 AM on May 4th along the Pattaya beachfront. According to the victim, Mr. Kittiphong Sa-adchandrai, he and his group were relaxing and eating at a seaside table when a foreign tourist at a nearby table began smoking cannabis, causing the pungent odor to spread and annoy surrounding patrons.
Mr. Kittiphong said he approached the man courteously and advised him that smoking cannabis in a public area was inappropriate and against both Thai law and beach regulations. The tourist’s Thai girlfriend reportedly tried to intervene and calm the situation, but the foreigner became agitated.
As Mr. Kittiphong turned to walk back to his table, the tourist allegedly attacked him from behind, sparking a scuffle. The suspect reportedly claimed he was a “boxer” during the confrontation while challenging others to fight him and claiming he could do whatever he wanted.
The victim added that another group of Thais at a different table had previously given the same tourist a similar warning and were also assaulted in the same manner.
Pattaya municipal officers quickly arrived to de-escalate the situation. Despite the intervention, the foreign tourist continued provocative behavior, pacing around the area and raising his middle finger to taunt the victims and authorities. Authorities eventually ordered the tourist to return to his accommodation and instructed both parties to separate to prevent further violence. Notably, the foreigner was not immediately charged for assault as many netizens pointed out online.
No serious injuries were reported, and the situation was brought under control without further escalation. However, as the footage has gone viral, Pattaya police are expected to review any available CCTV footage and statements as part of an investigation.
