PATTAYA, Thailand – A violent altercation broke out at Pattaya Beach involving a group of Indian men during the final night of the Diwali festival. The incident occurred while event organizers were packing up after a successful festival, which had been organized by the Chonburi Indian Association to celebrate Diwali from November 8 to 10. The festival had received positive feedback from both local residents and tourists.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of men surrounded and began assaulting several individuals, including hitting one victim multiple times in the face. As the situation escalated, the attackers called in reinforcements and continued to attack others in a brutal display of aggression in a public area.
One of the witnesses, Mr. Dio, a 46-year-old Indian national and President of the Chonburi Indian Association, stated that the attack seemed premeditated. He recalled seeing one of the attackers earlier in the day, who was reportedly taking photos and videos of the event and sending them to someone. He emphasized that there was no prior conflict with the group, and the incident was unprovoked. Mr. Dio condemned the violence and vowed to pursue legal action against the perpetrators.
The incident disrupted the peaceful atmosphere of the event and raised concerns about public safety. Even those attempting to intervene to stop the assault, including women and children, were attacked.
On November 12, lawyer Aniruth Kongsap, who represents the victims, reported that the police had scheduled a meeting with seven individuals involved in the attack for questioning. However, none of the suspects showed up for their appointments. Authorities are currently using the available CCTV footage to identify the attackers and bring them to justice.
The victims and the lawyer are urging local authorities to implement stronger safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future and to ensure that lawbreakers are held accountable for their actions.
