Pattaya, Thailand – A video showing four couples, believed to be Russian tourists, engaging in overt sexual activity in the waters of Pattaya Bay has sparked widespread outrage and sharp criticism for damaging the city’s reputation as a popular family friendly tourist destination.
The incident occurred in the early hours of May 6th, 2026, in the sea off Pattaya. According to the footage, which has circulated widely on social media, the group of eight foreign tourists, four men and four women, entered the water while heavily intoxicated. They were seen pairing off, embracing, kissing, and appearing to engage in sexual intercourse in the sea, despite numerous bystanders shouting warnings and urging them to stop.
Instead of heeding the calls, the couples reportedly continued their behavior openly and without shame in full view of other tourists and local residents, many of whom recorded the scene on their phones.
At approximately 2:00 a.m., a local reporter visited the area and spoke with Mr. Mon (surname withheld), a 44-year-old eyewitness who filmed and posted the controversial video.
Mr. Mon described the tourists as visibly drunk when they walked hand-in-hand into the sea around 3:00–4:00 a.m. He said their increasingly explicit conduct deeply upset him and others present.
“I tried to warn and stop them multiple times, but they paid no attention,” Mr. Mon told reporters. “Their behavior only became more brazen. I decided to record the video as evidence so that the relevant authorities could take action.”
He added that such incidents are not isolated. Similar inappropriate behavior by tourists from various countries has occurred before, which he believes severely harms Pattaya’s image and causes lasting damage to Thailand’s tourism reputation.
Local residents and netizens have strongly condemned the incident, calling for stricter enforcement of public decency laws in Pattaya’s beach areas. Many have urged tourism officials and police to investigate and prevent recurrence of such events, which they say tarnish the city’s appeal as a family-friendly and world-class tourist hub.
As of now, no official statement has been released by Pattaya authorities regarding any arrests or further action related to the incident.
