Police: Gangsters did not chase tourists off Pattaya beach

Police: Gangsters did not chase tourists off Pattaya beach

Baldeep Singh Gultali, 41, accompanied by an Indian friend, files a complaint with Pattaya police, accusing a group of Thai men of assaulting him on Pattaya beach in Chon Buri. (Photo by Trinai Jansrichol)
Baldeep Singh Gultali, 41, accompanied by an Indian friend, files a complaint with Pattaya police, accusing a group of Thai men of assaulting him on Pattaya beach in Chon Buri. (Photo by Trinai Jansrichol)

CHON BURI: Police say reports that gangsters claiming "ownership" of Pattaya beach chased away some tourists and assaulted an Indian national for sitting on the beach are not true.

The incident involved Thais and Indian nationals who knew each other, and they were not members of a mafia group as alleged, Pol Col Apichai Krobphet, superintendent of Pattaya police station, said on Thursday.

Police had questioned the people involved and learned that the assault followed a dispute over the transfer to funds and payment for service.

Prior to the incident, Baldeep Singh Gultali, 41, and his Indian friend were eating and relaxing on the beach opposite the entrance to Soi 8 off Liap Chai Had Road on Tuesday night.

Another Indian national, identified Gurwiwder Singh, phoned Mr Gultati and asked him to transfer 3,000 baht to a person in India. Mr Gultati said he had only 2,500 baht. Mr Singh then asked a Thai assistant to deliver 500 baht to Mr Gultati.

When he arrived with the money the Thai man asked for money for bringing it. This sparked a quarrel. Mr Singh and 2-3 Thai assistants then arrived and the quarrel escalated into a brawl, the Pattaya police chief said.

People who rent mats to tourists using the beach intervened and told the two sides to stop brawling in an area they use for business. This caused the misunderstanding, Pol Col Apichai said.

He insisted there were no gangsters claiming ownership of the beach as widely reported in the media. Police had already taken action against those involved in the incident. Mr Gultati and Mr Singh lived in Pattaya and both had work permits, the Pattaya police chief said.

Earlier, Mr Gulati complained to police that he was assaulted and hurt by a group of Thai men while he and a friend were relaxing on the beach on Tuesday night. A Thai tourist who saw the incident told police she suspected those who assaulted the Indian man were members of a group who rent mats to tourists sitting on the beach.

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