THIS is the shocking moment a swaggering tourist grabs a bar worker and hoists her over his head before getting knocked out by a bouncer in Thailand.
A 33-year-old waitress named May was lifted so high by a shirtless holidaymaker at a bar that she hit her head on the air conditioning unit. This led to the tourist being thrown out of the establishment and subdued by security.
Security footage captured May laughing at the drunken interaction with the shirtless tourist before quickly running to the back of the venue, presumably to avoid any further incidents.
But the holidaymaker soon turned his attention to another woman, a manager, whom he tried to kiss and embrace.
The manager recalled: “I told him to return to his hotel. I said he should stop because he was too drunk and return tomorrow.
“I grabbed his hand and walked him out of my bar. He pushed me away and walked back inside.
“There have been many instances of misbehaviour, and we had never assaulted a tourist before, but he just did not stop.”
When the bouncers intervened and dragged him away, the tourist allegedly challenged them to a boxing fight.
But one of the bouncers, with training in Muay Thai boxing, seemingly relished the chance to flex his fighting skills.
Footage shows the topless tourist bouncing around and shouting, signalling that he is ready for a fight.
The bouncer walks over to the man and lands one punch to the face in front of a crowd of onlookers.
Once he is on the ground, the bouncer continues to kick and punch him as the tourist’s pal jumps to his defence.
Although no formal complaints were lodged by the supposed victims, including the woman who was lifted in the video, law enforcement officers still brought in the two security guards and bar staff for questioning on Wednesday.
Speaking in the video, the men, along with their female manager, apologised for “giving in to their anger” and for “damaging the reputation” of the coastal town.
The bouncer said: “He was ushered out of another establishment before entering my store around 10 pm. My boss tried to chase him away but he assaulted a girl in the bar.”
Speaking today, Anek Sarathongyu, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, added: “The injured tourist hasn’t filed a complaint yet, but I’ve already brought in the security guards for questioning.
“The tourist was drunk and misbehaving, he harassed a woman at the bar, which is why the guard wouldn’t let him in.
“It was serious harassment, he lifted her up, groped her. That’s what led to the confrontation you saw.”
Onlooker Nick Rizal, who watched the fight unfold on the city’s Soi 6 during Songkran celebrations on Monday, believed the tourist “had it coming”.
He said: “The guy had been annoying one of the girls in the bar. Then he was just being annoying and causing trouble with his arrogance.
“The security guards were quite restrained and encouraged him to leave. But it’s a bad idea to challenge one to a fight.
“For the Thai guy, it then became a matter of protecting his own honour rather than work.
“I have to say, the tourist had it coming and he had exactly what he deserved.”
Tourists are regularly involved in attacks or caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed “Sin City”.
Red-faced officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.
Authorities have introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV.
Music festivals targeting young locals have also been staged on the beach.
A tram system and cruise ship terminal have also been proposed, along with schemes to lure in “high value” visitors instead of boozy Europeans.
