PATTAYA, THAILAND – Police investigated a late-night altercation at a central Pattaya hotel in which a 61-year-old Japanese tourist was injured following a dispute with two transgender women.
Police called to hotel shortly after midnight
Around midnight on 9 March 2026, a distress call reached Pattaya police. Rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan foundation and officers were dispatched to a hotel in central Pattaya.
In the lobby they encountered two transgender women, while the Japanese tourist remained in a second-floor room. The man, identified only as Yuzuki, aged 61, received medical treatment on site and was then taken to a hospital.
Both trans women were taken to Pattaya Police Station for questioning. Officers opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Account of the accused
According to police, 27-year-old Suthat stated she had met Yuzuki in front of the Baywalk Residence on Pattaya Beach. She said he invited her to his room at the nearby hotel.
Once inside, she claimed he assaulted her, prompting her to call loudly for help. When no one responded, she said she contacted a friend by phone to come to the hotel.
Suthat told officers that the second transgender woman arrived only after the alleged assault. She insisted her acquaintance took no part in the confrontation.
She cited self-defense, stressing that she had tried to protect herself from a physical attack. Police recorded her statement as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Tourist’s counter‑statement
Yuzuki rejected this version of events. He told investigators that both women attacked him together in the hotel room and stole 5,000 baht in cash.
He said his injuries resulted from this alleged assault rather than from any defensive act. He firmly denied having assaulted Suthat at any point.
Officers documented both conflicting testimonies. They said they would evaluate which account was supported by the available evidence.
Status of investigation and evidence gathering
Police began collecting physical evidence at the hotel and searching for potential witnesses. They also started reviewing footage from surveillance cameras inside and around the property.
A police spokesperson stated that investigators would examine all material and listen to both sides before drawing conclusions.
“All evidence will be reviewed carefully, and both parties will be heard before any conclusions are reached.”
said a police spokesperson.
Whether the incident would ultimately be treated as a case of self-defense or as a robbery was described as a key question in the ongoing probe. Both transgender women remained in police custody pending further investigation.
Officers stressed they would avoid any premature judgment while the facts were still being established. They emphasized that final assessments would depend on the outcome of the evidence review.
Similar incidents in recent months
Authorities noted that the case formed part of a series of comparable reports that had occupied Pattaya’s police in recent weeks. In February, officers arrested a transgender woman after a Chinese tourist reported theft and threats.
Also in February, police detained four transgender women following a complaint by a German tourist, who alleged he had been robbed along Pattaya Beach Road. Investigators treated each case as a separate matter.
On 5 March, another suspect was arrested on accusations of stealing 20,000 baht from a South Korean tourist. In response to these incidents, police increased the presence of patrol officers in busy tourist areas of the city.
Authorities said the additional patrols were intended to reassure visitors and deter further offenses. They did not link the latest case directly to the earlier incidents beyond noting the pattern of complaints.
Next steps in the legal process
The responsible police station said it would decide on possible charges once evidence collection was complete. Both the injured tourist and the two transgender women retained the right to present their positions during the subsequent proceedings.
Whether formal charges would be filed, and against whom, depended on the outcome of the continuing investigation. Police underlined that any decision would be based on verified facts.
Officers appealed for witnesses who had been in the hotel or its immediate vicinity that night to come forward. They asked anyone with relevant information or recordings to contact Pattaya police to assist the case.