Thai man breaks down recounting alleged police assault in Pattaya

A Thai man broke down in tears while speaking to journalists as he recounted what he described as an unfair incident in which a police officer in Pattaya allegedly assaulted him, but he was later detained overnight instead.

The 31 year old Thai man Arnon contacted several news agencies and urged journalists to publicise his case in the hope of receiving justice. He also handed over CCTV footage of the incident to the media, saying it clearly supports his version of events.

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday night, December 27, at a motorcycle rental shop owned by Arnon’s friend in Pattaya.

In the CCTV footage, Arnon can be seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and long trousers. The accused police officer was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, shorts, and a black cap, and had his face partially covered with a mask.

The video shows the alleged police officer approaching Arnon, who was standing in front of the motorcycle rental shop. The officer appeared to attempt to search him, but Arnon refused. The situation then escalated, with the officer allegedly punching Arnon in the head.

Arnon fought back, causing the police officer to fall to the ground. The two were seen struggling for a short period before the officer eventually walked away from the scene.

However, Arnon said the matter did not end there. He claimed the police officer later filed a complaint against him, accusing him of resisting and obstructing an official on duty by using force.

Speaking through tears, Arnon said he was detained at a police station for one night. He added that he had to borrow 30,000 baht in order to secure temporary bail.

Arnon said this was not the first time he had problems with the same police officer. He claimed the officer had previously helped a hotel manager, where Arnon once worked, pressure him into resigning after he refused to carry out the manager’s personal tasks. He later resigned from the job.

According to Arnon, the motorcycle rental shop is located near the hotel, leading the manager to mistakenly believe he had returned to seek revenge. He insisted this was not the case, saying he only went to the shop to help his friend take care of his elderly mother.

Arnon believes the hotel manager asked the police officer to check on him. When the officer attempted to search him, he refused because he said he had done nothing wrong. The confrontation then escalated into the physical altercation seen in the CCTV footage.

Arnon added that he suffered bruises and injuries to his face, while the police officer required three stitches to a head wound.

He stressed that the video evidence clearly shows the officer initiating the assault and abusing his authority for personal reasons. Arnon called on the media to help present the facts so he can seek justice.