Footage shows two British tourists, who appeared to be drunk, exchanging blows in an ugly fight over a parking space in the holiday hotspot of Pattaya in Thailand
A pair of drunken British tourists were filmed fighting over a parking space in Thai ‘Sin City’ Pattaya[1] before suddenly making peace.
The pair were reportedly intoxicated when they both tried to stop their rented vehicles in front of a bar in the Thai red-light district and one of the scooters struck the other – sparking the angry scenes. Footage shows how a holidaymaker[2] in a white shirt then began taunting another holidaymaker, who was wearing a purple tank top, next to a busy street.
They assumed fighting stances and exchanged blows while stunned locals watched. One of the men was knocked to the ground during the brawl in the early hours of the morning but they continued squaring off while weaving around cars and motorcycles on the congested road.
And then in a bizarre twist, the man in white suddenly approached his opponent, shook his hands and put an arm around his neck in a friendly gesture. Police said they “went for a massage together”.
One baffled local shouted: “Why did I try to stop them!” A patrol officer from Pattaya City Police Station said the men were both British but no complaint had been reported by either of them. Lieutenant Manasak Ponyiam added: “The incident happened at 2.49 am on October 6.
“Both tourists are British nationals. They did not know each other beforehand but met on Soi Buakhao. Both had been drinking and were intoxicated, which led to a minor altercation over a parking space. One of the motorcycles scratched the other.
“The younger man punched the older one. It appeared to be a matter of pride or something said that caused dissatisfaction. The older man who was punched did not want to press charges. Initially, he said he would file a complaint, but when the police were about to take him, he refused and said he would come on his own. He never did, as they later reconciled. After the argument, they even went for a massage together.”
Massage parlour owner, Pimpaa, 38, who witnessed the scuffle, said the tourist in white had rammed another foreign motorcyclist who had parked his vehicle in front of her shop. She said: “The man in white crashed into him and refused to apologise, sparking a heated argument. He then dismounted and attacked the other motorcyclist, who later showed a large wound on his hip.
“The tourist in a purple tank top tried to intervene but was shoved and punched by the man in white, leading to the fight.” She added that she called the police to control the situation as the injured rider received first aid.
Pattaya has been a notorious sex tourist destination for several decades, but more recently, tourists have been attacked or caught up in crime, leading to the unfortunate moniker ‘Sin City’. Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.
Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV. Despite some success in cleaning up the town’s image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.
References
- ^ Thai ‘Sin City’ Pattaya (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ holidaymaker (www.mirror.co.uk)