Turmoil as Koh Larn boat operators fight over tourists at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya
A brawl over passengers between two groups of Koh Larn speed boat operators at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya was reported on Saturday. One operator claimed he was attacked by over 10 members of a mafia speed boat gang.
A 31 year old Thai man named Kongkot shared a video of the moment when the fracas sparked on Saturday, April 8, on social media and with news agencies. According to the Thai man, the mafia speed boat gang attacked him and he was worried that he would not receive justice.
In the video, a group of about 10 men approached Kongkot, who wore a grey shirt and beat him. Some locals tried to stop the gang, but they ignored the warnings and kept attacking Kongkot even though many foreign and Thai tourists were walking past the area.
Locals shouted…
“It is enough! Stop!” Yet, the group kept attacking him until a man from a boat asked them to stop the action.
Kongkot described his role as a mediator between tourists seeking to travel to Koh Larn and the speed boat operator. He offered a round-trip package for 250 baht, which was the same price as other operators at the pier. These operators had a mutual agreement not to undercut each other’s prices.
However, a mafia gang started offering boat trips at a lower price of 200 baht and even attempted to persuade tourists who had already booked with other operators to buy tickets from them instead. Kongkot revealed that the mafia gang was known to resort to violence and threats against other boat operators and anyone who displeased them. They boldly declared that they were not afraid of the law or the authorities and had never faced any consequences despite repeated attacks.
Kongkot appealed to news agencies to spread his story and videos to prompt an investigation by relevant authorities and prevent future incidents.
Bali Hai Pier located on the south side of Pattaya Bay is a large pier that serves as a gateway to Koh Larn. The pier is usually busy with tourists and locals. It is also a popular place for people to take a stroll, watch the sunset and take photos.
The Deputy Mayor of Pattaya, Manote Nongyai, reported three weeks ago that Bali Hai Pier and Koh Larn welcomed over 130,000 tourists in the past two weeks or about 10,00 tourists per day. Seventy percent of the visitors are Thai people, and 30% are foreigners, especially Russian and Indian people.
Manote revealed that he and the team were worried about the utility system, especially the water. Koh Larn is now facing a lack of water due to the hot season. The Royal Thai Navy supported this by delivering water to the island for the residents, hotels, and other service providers to stock up and use during this season.
