PATTAYA, THAILAND – A protracted dispute between two food stall operators in Pattaya erupted into a full-blown brawl on Tuesday evening, drawing the attention of dozens of onlookers. Police were called to the scene twice as fists flew amid the escalating tensions. The fight stemmed from a terminated employment, the opening of a rival stall directly across the street, and unwelcome advances.
First, the women lurk, then the nephew strikes
Around 10:30 PM, residents alerted the Nongprue Police Station. Upon arrival near a convenience store at the entrance of Soi Mabyai Lia 18/4, officers encountered a group of women engaged in shouting and fighting. Amid the chaos was 36-year-old Somtam vendor Supatra Nawisethian, known to everyone as Ms. Jen. According to her account, female relatives of a competing noodle shop, known as “Je Mae,” ambushed her, hurled insults, and then initiated physical contact.
Police take statements – then it flares up again
The initial scuffle eventually subsided, with both parties retreating to their respective stalls. Police remained on site, gathering statements from Ms. Jen. However, during this questioning, Mr. B, the nephew of the noodle shop’s owner, stormed towards the Somtam stall. In full view of the officers, he attacked 47-year-old husband Trairat Ta-reunson, igniting a second, intense brawl. Bystanders and police officers were forced to intervene physically to separate the men.
Nine years at the noodle shop, then dismissal
The animosity had been simmering for years. Ms. Jen had worked as an employee at Je Mae’s noodle shop for nearly a decade. It was then reported that Mr. B repeatedly made unwanted romantic advances towards her. The constant tension with her husband became too much for the shop. Je Mae asked Ms. Jen to leave, but she refused to back down, instead opening her own stall directly opposite. This move proved to be the final straw for the noodle shop family, who accused the former employee of direct competition. Since then, Mr. B allegedly began regularly harassing and openly threatening Ms. Jen. She had previously filed a police report. The latest escalation on Tuesday evening marked just the most recent peak in a neighborhood conflict that has been simmering for months in the heart of tourist-centric Pattaya.
Everyone must go to the police
Following the altercations, the police summoned all involved parties to the station for further questioning. Fortunately, no serious injuries were sustained despite the physical encounters. The officers are now focusing on mediation but are also reviewing legal actions against the aggressors. The territorial dispute between the noodle and Somtam stalls is far from over.