Fracas between Chinese visitors and staff at a bar on Pattaya’s walking street leads to intervention by Thai police. It comes at a time when Thailand and Pattaya are anxious to welcome big spending ‘solo’ visitors from China
A scuffle and melee between a group of Chinese tourists out in Pattaya for a late night drink this week resulted in the arrest of all concerned with only minor injuries. It comes at a time when Thailand is still hoping for a record breaking tourist earning year with reports that the numbers of high ultra sending ‘solo’ visitors from China is on the way up. Pattaya, for all its detractors, is still a huge part of Thailand’s tourism draw. In 2017 38% of all visitors to Thailand visiting the city which has gained notoriety for its sexy girls and bar strip.
A disturbance broke out In Pattaya this week when a Chinese visitor refused to give an apologies to a dancer at a bar. The incident on Pattaya’s infamous ‘Walking Street’, famous worldwide for its go-go bar and sex for sale activities.
Bar’s bouncer demanded that Chinese tourist apologise to a Thai bar girl upset at rejection
A bouncer working at Taboo Club on the street is reported to have demanded an apology for the young 25 year old man after he rejected the attentions of a Thai girl at the club. The Chinese man was among a group of Chinese travelers that had entered the bar in the early hours of the morning. Yang Zhan was not impressed when the Thai girl took up a position next him. Mr. Zhan asked the Thai girl not to sit near him but she demurred. It is also reported that the girl had suggested that the Chinese man pay for her drinks. This led to an escalation leading the Chinese man to voice his instruction loudly. The shouting from the Chinese was eventually understood by the Thai girl who was both embarrassed and angered by the rejection. She had lost face. It is reported that staff at the bar could see that the Thai girl was visibly upset over the confrontation.
Thai police detained everyone involved in bar fracas
The incident later provoked an outburst of violence and mayhem when the Chinese group eventually made their departure from the bar. The bouncer stopped them at the door and insisted that the young Thai man offer an apologies to the deeply offended Thai woman. The Chinese man, ever resolute,refused to kowtow. After this a melee broke out between the club staff and the Chinese group. The Chinese man suffered an injury above his eye on the right hand side. Thai police were called to the scene and detained everyone involved in the fracas who were led off to the nearest police station. The Chinese man received some attention to his injury which was, thankfully, not serious.
Chinese tourists not impressed and the Pattaya bar manager is not so happy either at outcome
The intervention by the police resulted in all who took part in the ruckus at the club being fined. The manager of the Taboo Club may face more meaningful consequences as his club was found to be in breach of licencing laws for selling alcohol outside normal hours and for the club’s late opening hours. It is reported that the club is facing charges.
The Chinese tourists were not too impressed. They are reported to have explained that they were simply looking for a peaceful, late night drink in their own company. The suggested that the incident was not a good advertisement for Thailand as a tourist destination.
Thai authorities sensitive to issues that may negatively impact highly prized tourism industry
Thailand’s tourist bosses have been working overtime recently to repair the damage done to the country’s booming Chinese tourist numbers which dropped cataclysmically in July when a tourist boat sunk off Phuket killing 47 people, many of them Chinese tourists. Later a confrontation between a zealous security guard and a Thai tourist trying to force his way into the country caused another uproar at Don Muang Airport which even drew the attention of Thailand’s Prime Minister. Since August visitors number from China are down by 10 to 12% but Thai tourist officials say overall numbers are up in what is hoped to be a record year. Since the summer Thailand’s authorities have been reviewing all sensitive matters which may negatively impact the country increasingly valuable and growing tourism goldmine
Pattaya is a huge magnet for tourists to Thailand and a key part of the country’s success
Tourist officials in Pattaya and the Chonburi have suggested that numbers of Chinese arrivals were down on the 3rd quarter of 2018. However Thai tourist executives have indicated more Chinese visitors visiting ‘solo’ outside of package tours. Already Chinese tourist are among the highest spenders in Thailand. Pattaya and its environs is a huge magnet for tourists to Thailand. To put this in perspective, in 2017 38% of all tourist arrivals in Thailand visited Pattaya with 44% visiting the Chonburi area. Despite the city’s reputation for sin and sex, it is very much an international tourist destination. It was voted in the top 10 destinations in Asia in a 2015 international Mastercard survey. In recent years the Thai police and army have been active in linting the excesses of the clubs and girlie bars in Pattaya.
