PATTAYA, Thailand, March 5, 2026 – Authorities and bystanders intervened in Pattaya early Thursday after a dispute between a foreign tourist and two transgender sex workers escalated in a public area near Pattaya beach, according to Bangkok Post.
Witnesses said the two women were seen chasing the tourist while demanding payment for sexual services. One witness captured part of the confrontation on video, the newspaper reported.
Anucha Khotmad, a 59-year-old Pattaya municipal officer, told Bangkok Post he saw the pair pursuing an Indian tourist and shouting that he had assaulted them. He said he stepped in immediately and asked nearby business operators for towels to cover the women.
The officer and several bystanders then helped prevent the confrontation from turning physical. The situation was later settled through on-site mediation, with the tourist agreeing to pay the two complainants 1,000 baht each before both sides left the scene, according to the report.
Bangkok Post said witnesses also reported that the pair had been holding a brick and threatening the tourist during the confrontation.
Neither side initially wanted to file a police complaint or press charges, the newspaper said. Authorities were cited as saying the incident had nevertheless damaged Pattaya’s image as a tourist destination.
The episode drew attention not only because of the public disturbance but also because it unfolded in one of Thailand’s most internationally visible tourism centres, where local authorities remain sensitive to incidents that can affect the city’s reputation.
