Water gun incident sparks foreign tourist dispute at Songkran event

The lively Thaweewong Road, on Patong Beach in Phuket, bore witness to a heated dispute between two foreign visitors at a Songkran event. This incident, occurring around 4.20pm on April 13, was sparked by a minor altercation involving a water gun.

The Songkran event is renowned for its playful water fights, which are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Despite the jovial atmosphere, tensions flared when a foreigner, wearing no shirt but riding a motorbike taxi, became upset after another foreigner sprayed water on him.

The eyewitness, Nopparat Yiwa, a Civil Defense Volunteer, recounted the event to local media outlets in Phuket. According to his account, the shirtless man was not the initial target of the water gun. Instead, the water was sprayed on the motorbike taxi rider. This, however, did not prevent the shirtless man from taking offence, leading him to retaliate physically against the perpetrator, who was clad in a black shirt.

Nopparat further detailed that his companion had tried to intervene and defuse the situation but to no avail. The escalating conflict eventually drew the attention of the Patong police officers, who were successful in calming the situation and separating the two men.

The water gun incident was seemingly trivial, yet it spurred a reaction of high intensity from the shirtless foreigner. Despite the altercation, the police have considered the incident closed, as neither man involved has pursued legal action or filed police reports.

The viral video of the dispute circulated widely on Thai social media, serves as a reminder of the potential for tension amidst the otherwise jovial Songkran festivities on Thaweewong Road, Patong Beach, a popular destination for both Thai and foreign visitors, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, Thai netizens condemned two foreign men for spray-painting graffiti on a footpath and several spots in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket.

The Facebook page, โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต (meaning so brutal, Phuket province), shared the 13-minute video of the two foreign vandals on March 23.