Two British tourists were brutally assaulted by a trio of irate bouncers outside a bar in Thailand last week after a disagreement over the bill caused tensions to boil over and lead to a street brawl.
The Brits had been drinking with a number of escorts on the infamous Soi 6 road in the red-light city of Pattaya on Friday evening when they reportedly started arguing with staff over the bill.
They claimed that the bar had tried to defraud them by inflating the receipt, and three security guards intervened when the tourists started turning their anger on the barmaid.
After a few minutes of pushing and shoving, a fierce fistfight broke out as the guards snapped and attacked two of the men – one in a gray shirt and one in a white shirt – dragging them into the street and knocking them both to the ground.
The security guards were seen kicking the legs and chest of the man in white – before another bouncer ran in from the side and shot him in the head with a full force of force, rendering him instantly unconscious.
He was seen motionless for several minutes after the brutal blow as onlookers were unable to revive him.
The tourists claimed the bar had tried to scam them by inflating the receipt, and three security guards intervened when the man in the white T-shirt started snapping at the barmaid.
After a few minutes of pushing and pulling, a brutal scrap broke out and landed on the street
The man in white was pushed to the ground, where bouncers started pounding on him
A bouncer aims a roundhouse kick at the tourist sitting on the concrete
The guards rushed in to kick the man in white, kicking him in the legs and stomach before a guard delivered the final blow.
Moments later, the man is seen lying motionless on the ground after being kicked in the side of the head
The victim’s condition is unknown and police today declined to provide details about the alleged victim as they worked to protect the image of the city, which relies on tourism.
Footage from another angle showed his gray-shirted compatriot also briefly knocked unconscious by another bouncer, who kicked him in the jaw as he tried to get up after being tackled to the ground.
You see that bouncer walking away with a bloody nose.
Sergeant Major Arthon of Pattaya City Police Station said today that the three guards have since been warned about their behavior, but have not been arrested or charged.
He said: “The tourist in the video who was attacked did not report the incident to the police, so we cannot appoint an investigating officer. There’s no case open until they complain. We looked around but couldn’t find them.
‘Yes, we are still checking CCTV footage to see what happened to them. There are rumors that he is in intensive care, but we have not heard from hospitals.”
One of the sex workers at the bar where the incident took place said the group of three men disputed their drinks bill, which came to around Bt2,8,000 (£60).
Bar hostess Samorn, 38, said the three men had paid for two escorts to drink with them.
She said: ‘Two of the tourists had paid their bills but another had not and changed seats several times.
‘I asked them to pay the bill, but the tourist in the white shirt claimed he had already paid. I explained that the money I was asking for was the payment of someone who had not paid and not his own account.
‘They insulted me and said the bar was trying to rip them off, so I called security and told them the tourist wouldn’t pay his bill.’
CCTV footage shows the bills being paid, but the tourist in a white T-shirt then pushed a security guard and the fight escalated.
Two of the men – one in a gray shirt and one in a white shirt – were knocked to the ground
The other man in the gray shirt was held down and hit in the head several times
A lady from the bar tries to intervene and calm the security guard down, intending to attack the man in gray
Footage from another angle showed his gray-shirted compatriot also briefly knocked unconscious by another bouncer, who kicked him in the jaw as he tried to get up after being tackled to the ground.
The second tourist is seen arriving after being attacked
Police Colonel Nawin Thirawit, chief inspector of Pattaya Police Station, said today that the bouncers’ actions had tarnished Pattaya’s image.
They were invited to the police station and apologized for “damaging the image of the country.”
The police officer said: “The guards should have prevented the incident and reported it to the police.
‘Anyone working in this industry must keep their emotions in check and focus on preventing incidents rather than attacking people.
“These types of cases can damage the city’s reputation and deter tourists from visiting.”
Helicopter Bar, which is believed to have British ownership, did not respond to requests for comment. Several other bars on the same street are also owned and operated by the Nightwish Group company.
Pattaya emerged as a nightlife destination in the 1960s when Thailand fought alongside the United States and provided them with land for eight military bases, facilitating North Vietnam’s massacre and death of two million civilians in the 1950s and 1960s.
Between assassination missions, American GIs are said to have abused “rest and recreation leave” in the coastal enclave, leading to a raucous nightlife industry that continues to this day.
Thailand received at least $1.7 billion from the US in aid and also benefited from the emerging tourism industry that serves more than 50,000 ‘yanks’.