Shoreline showdown: Pattaya beach brawl leaves teens injured, one ‘leg’-ally shot
A beachside brawl in Pattaya on Saturday night left multiple teenagers injured, one of whom was shot in the leg. The incident, which unnerved tourists, involved two rival groups. The authorities have since been pursuing both parties involved.
Today, A 19 year old boy Thitipong, also known as Mag Baanchang, turned himself into Pattaya City Police Station. He brought with him a homemade firearm and some ammunition – the same weapon he allegedly used in the beachside incident.
Thitipong confessed to being the gunman in the brawl but claimed he acted in self-defence. He stated that a large group armed with weapons surrounded him. Fearful for his life, he fired his weapon towards the ground, inadvertently hitting an opponent in the leg.
Recounting the events leading to the altercation, Thitipong stated that he had gone to the beach to celebrate a friend’s birthday. He was warned that an angry group was planning to confront him. As predicted, the group arrived, surrounded him, and questioned his actions. Thitipong denied their accusations and suggested a peaceful conversation instead. However, the opposing party responded by drawing a blade against him, prompting a chaotic reaction from everyone present.
During the chaos, Thitipong heard a voice from the opposing group ordering him to shoot him. Fearing for his life, he fired his weapon at the ground. The bullet ricocheted and hit a member of the rival group in the leg. Thitipong mentioned past disputes with the rival group, including instances of intimidation and disrespect towards an institution he held dear. The firearm used was allegedly obtained from a previous confrontation with the same group.
Thitipong confession and evidence were received by the Deputy Chief of Pattaya City Police Station, Inspector Chainarong Jitsunthorn. The investigation is currently underway to apprehend all individuals involved in the incident and proceed with legal action.
