Two Foreign Tourists Arrested on Pattaya Beach for Refusing to Pay for Beach Chairs

[pomchop]

1 hour ago, proton said:

These people think they own the beach and can tell you what to do, how much are they charging for sitting on a seat these days?

Those people pay the city to set up the chairs and run a business....you got a beef go talk to the city.    It is 50 baht for wooden chair or 100 baht for nicer lounger. You can sit on the sand if you want free.

[proton]

4 minutes ago, pomchop said:

Those people pay the city to set up the chairs and run a business....you got a beef go talk to the city.    It is 50 baht for wooden chair or 100 baht for nicer lounger. You can sit on the sand if you want free.

They bully you and tell people they can't sit on the sand

[Chris Daley]

Wow 6 police officers.  So that means at least 1 of their sons is beating an elderly person to death in a street gang.

[bristolgeoff]

Don,t know what the price is now but it is one of charge for the day.I paid 30 baht last time good for the day.Not worth trying to cheat them

[Sydebolle]

Signs in English giving "rental details" for chairs and tables would be helpful. For years now I've been witnessing unnecessary discussions and bad mouthing as the foreigner did either not understand what Khun Sisaket said in Tinglish - or got nicely ripped off. The highest fee proposal I ever got was 250 Baht per chair and 300 Baht for the centre table. As there were eight chairs (of which my family and I would have used only four) they wanted 2'300 Baht for eight chairs - used or unused around the table. 

Since I am a burnt child I asked when arriving and opted for slightly cheaper options of 20 Baht/chair. The rest was invested in food and drinks provided/sold by the chair operator ;-) 

[kwan]

5 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Jeeeez! So true! They are so bold that along with their towel marker a 2 year old copy of Der Spiegel is on top of it!  Scandinavian's love this rude practice too. 

If they were Scandanavians they would have an Ikea Flatpack Deckchair with them !

[Northstar1]

9 hours ago, redwood1 said:

 

I always thought once you got off the plane every thing was free...

Isn’t thailand all inclusive?

he was a Brit by the way 

[Dexxter]

Imagine getting arrested for not paying 50 baht. What morons.

[CygnusX1]

4 hours ago, proton said:

They bully you and tell people they can't sit on the sand

Not at Jomtien beach. I sit on the sand with the Russians, close to an area of chairs, and have never received even a hint that I should be using a chair. At least Jomtien and Pattaya beaches have huge free areas, unlike some beaches in Europe, which are either largely or completely covered in sun loungers. I’ve noticed now that Xmas/New Year is over, Wednesdays have returned to being chair free, which must hurt the earnings of the operators and confuse tourists, although it certainly does make the beach look more attractive.

[spidermike007]

8 hours ago, Bobthegimp said:

 

How's that approach working out back home?  

 

The progressives have had their turn, now the "law and order" team should get theirs. 

 

My vote is for electrodes to the genitals and waterboarding, but I'm on the soft side.  You want this duo sobbing on camera as a warning to those who visit Thailand and commit crimes.   Just like that entitled Yank teen who spray painted cars in Singapore.  Caned and begged for mommy to save him. 

Look I'm the least PC guy you're ever going to meet, but where does that kind of thing lead? Caning in the street, amputation of the hands for theft, how strict do you want to go? 

 

One of the things that many of us love about Thailand is the fact that it is not a police state, and I think it's a tribute to most Thai people that there isn't more mischief and crime. I think it's a testament to their nature. 

[OneMoreFarang]

I think it's surprising that they were not beaten up. 

[ryxyz]

About 15 years ago, we booked a hotel in Rayong that advertised FREE beach chairs, both on its website and booking.com, which turned out to be a lie as we were approached 5 minutes after sitting down for 30 baht per head. I would have paid for my ex and myself after the man explained that the chairs weren't owned by the hotel, but he also demanded payment for my 2-year-old who was playing in the sand. We simply got off and left.

 

The said hotel was located in a secluded area, and the entire beach, just across from the hotel, was always deserted. However, somehow, the man arrived on a moped to demand payment after we picked up and dusted the chairs which were scattered all over from the previous night's storm, and sat. 

[Paris333]

What the French did to a Thai citizen reaches the limits of racism.
They visited beautiful Asian Kingdom οfThailand and refused to pay the Thai working lady ιn addition they were rude to Thai police officers.
Ask them how much it costs in France to sit in a store........The French colonialists should learn that Thai citizens are not second-class citizens but we are all equal infront of the law and in our world.

As a European Greek citizen I am deeply sorry for their unacceptable behaviour!

[ThailandRyan]

17 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Send them back to wherever!  Probably India... given the location of the incident... but could just be your run of the mill entitled Europeans.

Entitled? Care to elaborate......Did they say "Don't you know who I am"?

[jts-khorat]

10 hours ago, BE88 said:

And why do you think it's all free and that these Thais who work renting chairs don't pay the municipality a tax? If the police arrested them it was certainly for this reason.

 

There have been numerous times where the beaches were cleared because they all belong to the crown and it is indeed, following the law to the letter, illegal to set up a bunsiness there. The beaches are by royal decree a public space.

 

As Thailand is the land of compromise, and livelihood of Thais is to be protected, such was of course found (which is a good thing): for example, Patong in Phuket has now zones for chairs.

 

As Thailand is also a land of corruption, it is completely unclear, to whom the beach vendors pay. In Patong it was definitely not the municipality -- but as the family fronting the mayor has now changed a number of times, this might have changed. It is my assumption, that the situation in Pattaya can only be similarily murky.

 

Still: what an entitlement by a tourist to escalate such a non-winnable situation until getting carted off to the police station!

[kiwikeith]

16 hours ago, stoner said:

 

so which is it ? good sleuthing with the picture clearly showing one is not an indian fellow. 

Skin colour looks like European, and they are not young, so they should know better than to behave like smart Alec, Pattaya atracks all types of nutters its a magnet for stupid tourists and balcony bungi jumping, sorry to say, they ruin things for the good people that stay there. 

 

 

L

[Skipalongcassidy]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Entitled? Care to elaborate......Did they say "Don't you know who I am"?

By their actions... yes they did... 

[bluejets]

Useless layabouts...chuck them out of Thailand and mark them as never to return before they do some real damage with their aggressive nature.

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Granted these guys do seem like losers for causing this incident to begin with, but arresting them seems like just a bit of an overreaction. Perhaps the police coming and escorting them away and making them pay a small fine? But arrest for an argument over beach chairs? Really?

 

This is more great publicity for the RTP and Thai tourism. 

I suspect it was more about their attitude.

[mikebell]

16 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

a huge police action and media attention. And as you can see there is indeed police in Pattaya. Always busy.🙏

What planet do you live on?  The ONLY time Pattaya police become visible is when there is media attention (or the scent of baht). They are not called Photocops for nothing.

They're busy doing nothing!  Check out the figures for daily road deaths which could be slashed if there was a police force.

[Old Croc]

13 hours ago, pomchop said:

Those people pay the city to set up the chairs and run a business....you got a beef go talk to the city.    It is 50 baht for wooden chair or 100 baht for nicer lounger. You can sit on the sand if you want free.

 

Some of us have been on the forum long enough to remember incidents like this:

 

PM Prayut upset over chasing of tourist by beach chair operator in Pattaya - Pattaya News - Thailand News, Travel & Forum - ASEAN NOW

 

Again: Beach vendor chases tourist family away for not renting chairs (VIDEO) (coconuts.co)

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20 by Old Croc

[mikeymike100]

19 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The story says they were asked to pay as soon as they sat down, they refused to pay and started to mouth off.

 

“According to witnesses, the two men, one who was shirtless and described as aggressive and uncooperative, had reportedly tried to sit down on beach chairs and immediately been informed by the owners of the beach bed area that the chairs were a paid service and that the men needed to pay to use them.

 

The men refused and began an intense verbal argument with the umbrella chair operators, leading to police and municipality officers being called to the scene near Royal Garden Mall.”

 

Seems to me a couple of self entitled losers, p#ssed or stoned. Can not see how anyone wants to defend two dumb aholes.

 

 

Not defending them, just attempting to ascertain the actual facts.

They got arrested anyway, but then what happened? Again a seemingly 'black hole' of information!

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

What planet do you live on?  The ONLY time Pattaya police become visible is when there is media attention (or the scent of baht). They are not called Photocops for nothing.

They're busy doing nothing!  Check out the figures for daily road deaths which could be slashed if there was a police force.

Well, sorry, my fault. It's MY kind of humour. Obviously didn't catch you🥴

[pomchop]

9 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

Not at Jomtien beach. I sit on the sand with the Russians, close to an area of chairs, and have never received even a hint that I should be using a chair. At least Jomtien and Pattaya beaches have huge free areas, unlike some beaches in Europe, which are either largely or completely covered in sun loungers. I’ve noticed now that Xmas/New Year is over, Wednesdays have returned to being chair free, which must hurt the earnings of the operators and confuse tourists, although it certainly does make the beach look more attractive.

i walk up and down beach road nearly every day....i see all kinds of people who sit on beach towels on the beach or even bring their own chairs...not once have i observed any thai chair vendor try and tell them that they cannot sit on the beach....i have also sat in my own chair a number of times and never a hint of a problem.

[pomchop]

56 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

 

Some of us have been on the forum long enough to remember incidents like this:

 

PM Prayut upset over chasing of tourist by beach chair operator in Pattaya - Pattaya News - Thailand News, Travel & Forum - ASEAN NOW

 

Again: Beach vendor chases tourist family away for not renting chairs (VIDEO) (coconuts.co)

 

 

 

 

Two articles 9 years old....?  I suspect for every story of a chair vendor doing something improper there are a few dozen stories of people trying to refuse to pay or otherwise being an axxhole.

[jacko45k]

59 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Some of us have been on the forum long enough to remember incidents like this:

Haha, indeed..... rolling out your own towel and lying on the beach anywhere near a sun-lounger seller's patch could be interpreted as suicidal!

[Georgealbert]

13 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

Wow 6 police officers.  So that means at least 1 of their sons is beating an elderly person to death in a street gang.

Sorry and not to be rude, do you get up everyday and think what nonsense can I post today or does it come naturally.

 

Maybe the truth is your just a sad troll.

[fondue zoo]

 

 

Judging by his kit he must be one of those high paying, short stay types they're after.

 

 

 

[JimTripper]

15 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Signs in English giving "rental details" for chairs and tables would be helpful. For years now I've been witnessing unnecessary discussions and bad mouthing as the foreigner did either not understand what Khun Sisaket said in Tinglish - or got nicely ripped off. The highest fee proposal I ever got was 250 Baht per chair and 300 Baht for the centre table. As there were eight chairs (of which my family and I would have used only four) they wanted 2'300 Baht for eight chairs - used or unused around the table. 

Since I am a burnt child I asked when arriving and opted for slightly cheaper options of 20 Baht/chair. The rest was invested in food and drinks provided/sold by the chair operator ;-) 

A lot of people would not buy anything if they were being charged to sit down to drink it.

[PeachCH]

Why discussing the nationality? It doesn't matter, 2 falangs, enough info.