South Korean tourist assaulted in Pattaya robbery gone wrong

A brutal assault on a South Korean tourist outside a Pattaya nightclub has left police probing whether it was a botched robbery or something darker.

At 4.06am yesteday, August 1, Police Lieutenant Colonel Alis Phuangwai, Deputy Chief of Pattaya City Police Station, received an urgent call about a violent incident in a parking lot near an entertainment venue on Soi Siam Sam Tat Phettrakul. He quickly informed his superior, Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo, before heading out with a team to investigate the alleged assault on a tourist.

Upon their arrival, they found Koh, a 29 year old South Korean tourist, visibly shaken and nursing a head injury along with several facial bruises. Koh claimed that he had been attacked by a group who tried to steal 300,000 baht from him. He alleged that during the assault, they forced him to carry a suspicious stash of ketamine vape pods — around 20 in total — before fleeing the scene.

A security guard from the venue revealed that Koh had been seen socialising earlier with a group of nearly 10 Thai men. The group was observed chatting outside the venue and later leaving together in a vehicle. Koh returned alone, injured and seeking help, although the guard did not witness the assault itself, The Pattaya News reported.

The police, somewhat sceptical of Koh’s version of events, are not ruling out other motives. Officers plan to question Koh in detail with the aid of an interpreter to clarify what happened. They are also working on gathering evidence, including reviewing any available CCTV footage from the area.

If any suspects are identified, the police have made it clear that they will pursue them relentlessly, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable under the law.

In similar news, police in Pattaya arrested two Chinese nationals and two Thais in connection with the abduction and robbery of a Chinese national. The incident occurred around 5.30am on July 10, when the 52 year old victim was forced into a white SUV by men posing as police officers.