PATTAYA, THAILAND – Police on Walking Street prevented an apparently planned brawl and detained nine migrant workers, while other suspected participants escaped in the crowd of tourists.
Police response outside Siam Bayshore Hotel
The incident was triggered by an emergency call reporting that late in the evening more than 20 foreigners were gathering in front of the Siam Bayshore Hotel for a confrontation.
At 11:46 p.m., a team led by Pol. Lt. Col. Chaowalit Suwanmanee arrived at the scene, supported by Pattaya police, the tourist police and municipal enforcement officers.
On arrival, officers encountered a larger group of migrant workers who, according to police, had visibly formed and were waiting for a rival group.
The security forces intervened, brought the situation under control and temporarily detained nine suspects.
Migrant workers in rival groups
Among those arrested were, according to the authorities, two nationals from Myanmar as well as three Karen men.
Police at Pattaya City Police Station stated that the nationalities of the remaining detainees were still being verified.
During searches, officers seized two weapons, including a pointed knife and a short folding knife.
The confiscated items were handed over to investigators at Pattaya City Police Station together with the detainees.
Suspects flee through tourist crowds
Several other suspected participants used the confusion on Walking Street to escape when police separated the group.
According to the officers’ account, some individuals fled on parked motorcycles while numerous tourists were standing nearby.
Dispute traced to Bali Hai Pier
A detained man from Myanmar, who spoke Thai only to a limited extent, told police that the gathering followed a previously agreed “discussion” after an earlier conflict in the Blue Square area at Bali Hai Pier.
“More than 20 Myanmar migrant workers had arranged to meet to settle a dispute with a rival group,”
said the Myanmar man, according to the police.
He stated that the two groups initially talked until officers appeared to check the area.
Panic over arrest fears and ongoing investigation
The man told investigators that, when officers arrived, both sides panicked out of fear of immediate arrest and ran in different directions, while he himself failed to get away.
The police initiated legal proceedings against those detained and examined the allegations related to weapons possession and the planned confrontation.
In parallel, investigators worked to identify and track down the suspects who managed to flee.
Such incidents on Walking Street illustrated how quickly a private feud in a tourist hotspot could turn into a broader security issue.
Local debate continued over whether patrols and preventive measures around well-known meeting points like Bali Hai Pier should be significantly expanded, or whether decisive intervention in critical moments was sufficient.