Public Toilet Sanitation Fine Sparks Controversy: Chinese Tourists and Thai Staff Engage in Brawl

Public Toilet Sanitation Fine Sparks Controversy: Chinese Tourists and Thai Staff Engage in Brawl (People News/AI-generated image)

[People News] As tourists, it is essential to manage one's emotions and behaviour more carefully while travelling than at home. Respecting local customs and adhering to local regulations not only ensures personal safety and rights but also serves as a direct reflection of one's personal qualities.

Recently, an incident occurred at a public toilet in a night market in Pattaya, Thailand, involving a brawl between Chinese tourists and local staff. The Thai authorities reported that five Chinese men were asked to pay a 150 baht cleaning fee after they left the toilet in a dirty state, which led to a dispute and subsequent conflict, resulting in injuries to two of the Chinese men.

As reported by The Epoch Times, the incident took place on the night of October 30 at approximately 11:15 PM, at a street food market in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Thailand. Thai media outlet 'Khaosod English' reported on November 1 that videos of the altercation circulated on social media, and after nearby residents and security personnel intervened, the police arrived to manage the situation.

Natthakan, a 30-year-old public toilet manager, stated that on the night of the incident, he and his colleague Kritsadawut were on duty when about five Chinese men came to use the toilet. After they left, he inspected the toilet and discovered urine on the floor, that the toilet had not been flushed, and that there were footprints on the toilet seat.

Natthakan reported that the public restroom rules stipulate that users must pay a cleaning fee of 150 Thai Baht if they dirty the facilities. Consequently, he confronted a group of Chinese men and asked them to inspect the restroom's condition. During this interaction, one of the Chinese men pushed him against the wall, leading to a physical confrontation between the two parties.

Natthakan explained that the altercation later escalated outside the restroom, with the number of Chinese men involved rising to approximately 7 to 8, and he and his colleague were attacked by several individuals. His colleague, Kritsadawut, then produced a BB gun and struck one of the Chinese men on the head with the gun's handle, resulting in injuries to both parties. The Thai side claimed that the employee used the firearm in an attempt to stop the ongoing attack.

According to 'The Pattaya News', security personnel from nearby entertainment venues and bystanders intervened to halt the incident and alerted the police. Subsequently, the police took 5 Chinese men and two Thai managers to the police station and confiscated the firearm involved in the incident.

Investigations by the police revealed that the BB gun had been modified to fire live ammunition. The Thai man who wielded the gun faced charges related to the brawl as well as violations of firearms regulations, but he was later granted bail.

'The Thaiger' reported that the five Chinese men included a 64-year-old man surnamed Shen, a 36-year-old man surnamed Lü, two 37-year-old men, and a 28-year-old man surnamed Zhou. The police treated the incident as a public brawl, and after questioning, the five men were fined.

Additionally, a 60-year-old female restroom manager reported to local media that there have been occurrences in the night market restrooms where customers failed to flush, stepped on toilet lids, and littered. When staff asked for payment for cleaning fees, they sometimes encountered insults or even physical attacks. △