Tourists arrested for refusing to pay for beach chairs in Pattaya

Two tourists were arrested by Pattaya police yesterday, January 18, for refusing to pay for beach chairs.

According to eyewitnesses, the drama unfolded when the two men, one sporting a shirtless bravado and described as aggressive, attempted to commandeer beach chairs without paying. The eagle-eyed owners promptly reminded them that the coveted chairs came at a cost, igniting a fiery exchange.

The dispute escalated, prompting a distress call to the authorities near the iconic Royal Garden Mall. Police and municipality officers rushed to the scene to mediate, only to be met with unbridled resistance. The duo, evidently unimpressed by the long arm of the law, continued their heated argument and flatly refused to cough up the cash for the beachside luxury.

Undeterred, one of the men audaciously attempted to make a getaway towards the Royal Garden Mall. However, the law enforcement net closed in, leading to their eventual arrest. The pair was promptly escorted to the Pattaya Police Station, where legal consequences awaited, reported Pattaya News.

It appears that the beach bed battleground was over the modest price of 50 to 100 baht, depending on the type of chair desired – a small fee that spiralled into a skirmish. The identities of the apprehended troublemakers, including their names, ages, and nationalities, remain undisclosed.

In related news, a Korean tourist was allegedly robbed of his 200,000 baht gold necklace by a trio of transgender suspects in Pattaya on January 11. The tourist found himself accosted by a group of three transgender women near Soi 5 to 6.

In other news, Thai government officials have set their sights on ambitious targets and goals to bounce back from the economic fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in 2024.

Pattaya, whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism, amounting to about 90%, was majorly impacted as it has not yet fully recovered to the 2019 levels, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.