British man arrested after snatching Thai ex-girlfriend’s phone in Pattaya

Police arrested a British man after he snatched a mobile phone from his Thai ex-girlfriend near Pattaya Beach in the early hours of today, February 26.

The 27 year old woman, Wanida, contacted officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station after the incident outside the mall on Pattaya Beach Road late last night. Police said her 36 year old British ex-boyfriend was found at the location, shirtless and wearing only black shorts.

When officers arrived, the British man was causing a disturbance and talking to himself. Police said he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, and that Thai and foreign bystanders at the scene were alarmed by his behaviour.

Wanida told police she had dated the man for a short period. She said that about two months after their break-up, he reportedly broke into her accommodation and damaged glass windows and a door before fleeing.

Thai woman reported harassment by British ex-boyfriend
Wanida | Photo via Facebook/ ที่นี่ พัทยา

In the latest incident, Wanida said the man came to her cannabis shop near the shopping mall and snatched her mobile phone. She told police he threatened to run from the shop with the phone if she screamed or asked others for help.

Wanida said she prioritised her safety over the phone and shouted for help. Pattaya City Administrative officers who were patrolling nearby reportedly intervened, but she said the man continued to cause a disturbance, prompting her to call police.

British man arrested for late-night chaos in Pattaya
Photo via The Pattaya News

Officers took the man to the police station for legal proceedings. He was initially charged under Section 378 of the Criminal Law for disruptive behaviour in a public place, which carries a fine of up to 5,000 baht. Police did not disclose whether he tested positive for alcohol or other intoxicants.

In a similar incident, another British man was reported to have displayed disruptive behaviour in Pattaya in October last year and sustained injuries. The man reportedly caused a disturbance at a bar owned by his wife’s family, fought with his brother-in-law and set fire to his wife’s designer clothes before being arrested.

British man steals phone of Thai ex-girlfriend in Pattaya
Photo via The Pattaya News

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Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.