PATTAYA: A chaotic fistfight among speedboat operators reportedly over one group allegedly poaching customers from the other group erupted Thursday afternoon on a road beside Tawaen Beach on Koh Larn, drawing a crowd of startled tourists and quickly spreading across social media.
The clash broke out around 5:30 p.m. on August 27th along the beachfront road in Moo 7 on Koh Larn. Video circulating online shows two groups of men, believed to be operators of Pattaya–Koh Larn speedboat services, shouting at each other before the argument turned into a melee of punches.
Witnesses and early reports said the dispute stemmed from competition for passengers heading back to Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya. One group has operated speedboats from Koh Larn for more than 30 years. The other consists of operators based in Pattaya who recently began working on the island. Tensions over poaching customers and undercutting fares had been building for some time before they boiled over in public.
Local Koh Larn operators later posted comments criticizing the newcomers. “People on Koh Larn have lived and worked peacefully. We never fought each other. When you arrived, you brought these problems and turned the island into a place where people brawl,” one post read. “It ruins Koh Larn’s name. If word spreads, people will say the island is lawless. If it’s going to be like this, don’t come make a living here. This must be dealt with firmly.”
The posts also called on Pattaya City to step in and impose serious order on speedboat operations around the island.
The fight unfolded in full view of tourists packed along Tawaen Beach, one of Koh Larn’s busiest spots. No official confirmation of injuries or arrests was immediately available.
