PATTAYA, THAILAND – Dozens of street vendors were turned away from the International Fireworks Festival after falling victim to a sophisticated stall allocation scam.
Festival mood shattered at Pattaya Beach
Around 4 p.m., chaotic scenes unfolded on Pattaya Beach near the well-known sailboat monument as municipal employees ordered the immediate removal of unapproved stalls. Many traders, some of whom had travelled from Bangkok and other provinces, broke down in tears after learning they were not officially registered. They had paid for travel and stock and had also transferred money to scammers who had promised them guaranteed stall spaces.
Free official stalls exploited by online scammers
The Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2025 officially provided more than 800 stalls free of charge, allocated via a public lottery with no fees. Similar rules applied to other major city events, where space was limited and demand was high. Online fraudsters posing as organisers or allocation officials exploited this demand, offering supposed “guaranteed” stalls in exchange for deposits to vendors looking to bypass the lottery.
Victim recounts vanished contact and lost deposit
One affected vendor, who requested anonymity, said:
“I was contacted by someone who claimed to be responsible for allocating stalls. A relative in Pattaya even checked the meeting point on the day of the lottery, which made it seem legitimate. I transferred 4,000 baht and prepared everything for selling. When we arrived, the person had disappeared and our names were not on any official list.”
said an anonymous vendor, victim.
Confrontation with city staff on the beach
Hoping to recoup at least part of their costs, numerous traders tried to set up makeshift stalls directly on the beach. Shortly afterwards, staff from the Pattaya city administration arrived and ordered all unregistered stalls to be dismantled. Tempers rose as more victims realised they had fallen for the same scheme, with some arguing loudly with officials while others pleaded in vain to be allowed to sell as an exception.
Vendors show proof and demand action
Several traders displayed bank transfer slips and chat logs on their mobile phones. They asked city representatives to take action against the suspected scammers and to support the victims. Municipal staff maintained that only lottery winners were officially permitted, while urging those affected to collect evidence and report the case to the police.
Authorities stress serious offense and urge official channels
Officials recommended that victims gather bank transfer receipts for deposits, screenshots of chats and profiles of the alleged fraudsters, and records of the time and place of their arrangements. Authorities underlined that impersonating officials and collecting deposit payments was a serious criminal offense, and they issued a clear warning to the public to register for major city events only through official channels. Police were already examining a Line profile photo said to have been used by the suspected scammer, though investigators believed the image itself might also be fake.
Police probe under way as victims organise
According to the city, police had been informed as soon as the first reports emerged, and a broader investigation into the alleged fraud group was ongoing. Affected vendors had begun to organise and file joint complaints, calling on the City of Pattaya to help identify the perpetrators and strengthen security mechanisms for future festivals. City representatives announced plans to monitor stall registrations more strictly and communicate procedures more clearly, after the incident cast a shadow over one of Pattaya’s key tourism events and prompted plans to tighten information and control structures for allocating the free stalls in the coming year.