Pattaya, Thailand – Three Indian nationals were arrested after a dispute in a South Pattaya restaurant on 17 October 2025 left another Indian man with a serious head wound, authorities said.
Attack in South Pattaya restaurant
Narendra Tamta, described by police as an Indian migrant worker, was attacked by four fellow countrymen inside a busy restaurant in the heart of South Pattaya. Witnesses said the incident began as a heated argument and quickly escalated into violence. Tamta suffered a severe head injury that required hospital treatment and seven stitches, investigators reported.
Evidence prompted a swift response
Police said investigators reviewed closed-circuit footage and followed forensic leads that pointed to an apartment on Soi Ko Phai. Less than 24 hours after the assault, Chonburi Immigration Police, working with the Pattaya city police, executed a targeted raid on the unit where several suspects were hiding.
“We surrounded and searched the hideout in a planned operation,” Pol. Col. Napasphong Khositsuriyamanee, who led the raid, told reporters. The operation resulted in the arrest of three men identified as Ran Manohar Sharma, 30, Ankhil, 24, and Ankur, 21. They were taken to the police station for questioning.
Motive and workplace rivalry
Authorities said jealousy over a woman who worked at the restaurant appeared to be the motive. Investigators believe the attackers suspected Tamta of pursuing a relationship with the girlfriend of one of the suspects, which led to the confrontation.
“We believe the dispute was triggered by misinterpreted advances at the workplace,” a senior investigator said, adding that the rivalry had arisen among colleagues at the restaurant. Police were checking whether there had been earlier incidents between the individuals.
Manhunt for the fourth suspect
One alleged attacker remained at large after the raid. Police and immigration officials were conducting a targeted search to prevent any attempt to flee the country and to locate the missing suspect, whose identity has been established by investigators.
Pol. Lt. Col. Kawinwat Arayasuryawong said the authorities were treating the case seriously. “We take the investigation very seriously and are doing everything to ensure public safety here,” he said, asking the public to come forward with any information.
Charges and immigration checks
The three detained men now face multiple inquiries, including assault in a public place. Immigration authorities were also reviewing their legal status, and a spokesman warned that violations of immigration law could carry fines or imprisonment. Officials declined to disclose specific details of the suspects’ residency conditions while the inquiries continued.
Local police step up measures
In the wake of the incident, police said they had increased patrols and surveillance in Pattaya’s tourist districts and planned closer coordination between local police units and the immigration bureau. Authorities said such steps aimed to reassure residents and visitors after a series of tensions involving foreign workers in busy tourism areas.
Ongoing investigation
Investigators said they were following up on witness statements and forensic traces to complete the picture of what happened in the restaurant and to identify any additional participants. “We are evaluating all leads and evidence to locate the remaining suspect and determine whether others were involved,” a police official said.
Source: Asean Now