Foreigners filmed chasing and beating Thai man in Phuket
Street fight reignites debate on weak enforcement in Thailand
Another viral video circulated on Thai social media yesterday, August 17, showing a group of foreigners attacking a Thai man outside a restaurant in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket.
The Phuket Times Facebook page reported, “Phuket, again! A swaggering gang of foreigners beat up a Thai national until the victim had to hide under a table. They then chased after him and continued the attack.”
The page shared the video of the incident in the comments section, showing the Thai man, dressed in all white, hiding under a table while three to four foreign men surrounded him. One of the foreigners kicked the Thai man, prompting another Thai national in a yellow shirt to intervene and plead with the attackers to stop.
The victim later emerged from hiding and attempted to reason with the group but was assaulted again. Thai witnesses urged the attackers to stop from a distance, seemingly unwilling to get too close for fear of being injured themselves.
The video sparked outrage among Thai netizens, who flooded the comments with criticism. Some blamed Thailand’s weak laws, others accused local officials of ignoring misconduct by foreigners, and some condemned the bystanders for failing to step in and help.
Among the comments were…
“Thai laws are too weak. I’m a taxi driver, and a foreign passenger once told me: ‘Whatever you do wrong in Thailand, just pay the money and it will be over.’”
“Why don’t Thai people help each other? I don’t know who was in the wrong, but no violence should ever be used.”
“If this Thai man had fought back, he would have been condemned for tarnishing Phuket’s image.”
“They (foreigners) just don’t care. They have money. They think they are the guests of the country.”
“Thai laws only apply to Thai people. No arrests for foreigners. Who can Thai people rely on? Your salaries come from taxpayers’ money, you must do your duty.”
As of now, officers at Patong Police Station, who are responsible for the area, have not issued any statement regarding the incident. So far, no other news agencies have provided updates on the case.
In a similar case, a group of foreign men was seen in a viral video chasing and attacking two Thai men on a road in Phuket on August 12. One of the Thai men was reported to be the owner of a motorcycle rental shop.
The physical assault began after one of the foreigners tried out a rental motorbike and crashed it, prompting the owner to demand 50,000 baht in compensation. The foreigner insisted on paying only 10,000 baht, which led to a heated argument that later escalated into violence.
A district chief promised to deliver justice to both parties, but no further updates on the case have yet been released.
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