A 25 year old US tourist, identified by authorities as Damien Williamson, has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a Thai jet ski worker following a dispute over damage to a rented jet ski at Patong Beach, Phuket. Police tracked the suspect to Bangkok after he reportedly left Phuket in an apparent attempt to leave the country before legal action could be taken.

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The alleged assault took place at about 5.10pm on 7 July 2026 at Patong Beach in Kathu district. According to the injured jet ski supervisor, Natthawut Dech-iam, the tourist had rented a jet ski before colliding with another jet ski, causing damage. When asked to pay for the repairs, the tourist allegedly refused responsibility and walked away towards Bangla Road.

Natthawut said he tried to resolve the matter calmly and informed the tourist that evidence confirmed the damage. He said the tourist continued to refuse payment, prompting him to follow and ask why the repair costs would not be covered.

According to Natthawut, the disagreement escalated when the tourist allegedly became angry, lifted him off the ground, threw him onto the pavement and repeatedly punched him in the face before fleeing towards Jungceylon shopping centre. The injured man said the group consisted of a foreign family of three, a father, mother and child, who had rented two jet skis.

Doctors later confirmed Natthawut had suffered multiple injuries, including bruising, facial swelling and a fractured cheekbone. He said he did not fight back because he knew the man was a tourist and wanted the matter to be handled through the legal process. He later filed a complaint with Pol Lt Piyanat Khunthong, Deputy Investigation Inspector at Patong Police Station.

Following the assault, investigators from Patong Police Station reviewed CCTV footage and gathered evidence to identify the suspect. Police later established that the American tourist had left Phuket for Bangkok and coordinated with officers in the capital. The suspect was arrested at the airport before he could leave Thailand.

Pictures courtesy of Komchadluek

Pol Col Korakrit Khankhruea, Superintendent of Patong Police Station, said investigators had been instructed to collect evidence and pursue legal action in accordance with the law while ensuring fairness to all parties. Natthawut said he wants the suspect to accept responsibility for both the damage to the rented jet ski and the injuries caused by the alleged assault.

He also urged authorities to enforce the law strictly against tourists who commit offences in order to maintain confidence among tourism operators and workers in Phuket. Komchadluek reported that police are expected to continue legal proceedings against the suspect as the investigation progresses.

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9 July 2026

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Jet Skis have been the source of issues for a couple of decades. Usually it is the tourists getting scammed for some fake damage extortion, but of course it can be the other way around. Should get rid of them alt together.

I bet the damage was legit like it always is.

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Unfortunately a lot of tourists don't know to take photos of vehicles before and after they hire them.

Saves a lot of arguments should any damaged be 'picked up' once the hire has completed.

As for the assault, the video is pretty damming evidence. Hope the perp gets what's going to him... Nasty piece of work.

I'm sure this creep used the Jet Ski in a calm and sensible manner.

Always prioritizing preventing injury to others as well as avoiding any damage to property.

After all who goes mental on a rental Jet Ski?

Sad to learn that this creep has reproduced so there is another generation like him.

These jet skis are a nuisance. Loud disturbing, stinking.

The best is to stop that nonsense and ban them for all Thai beaches

We all know about the jet Ski scam ... is it still prevelent as much today? Not sure.

That is no way to act though to start laying punches, and getting physical. It's only going to end up worst.

Whatever the extent of the damage and by whom there is no excuse whatsoever for this brutal assault.

That is brutal, lock him up!

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

I bet the damage was legit like it always is.

The article states he collided with another jet ski.

Police should be called to handle such matters.

This savage knows how to throw punches. Probably not his first fist fight.

11 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

These jet skis are a nuisance. Loud disturbing, stinking.

The best is to stop that nonsense and ban them for all Thai beaches

And how are you planning to keep the jet ski operators employed?

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

I bet the damage was legit like it always is.

Love the sarcasm...good one...🤣

16 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

And how are you planning to keep the jet ski operators employed?

Clean the beaches, collect the rubbish

The jet ski industry in Thailand is notorious for scamming tourists out of large amounts of money over fake damage. Not to say that this could have been a real incident where there was actual damage, and will probably never know.

The man is setting quite an example by beating someone up in front of his kids.

In general you never physically assault a Thai person because there's just no way to win the fight, if you win the fight and beat him up you lose, if he beats you up you lose, if a gang of other Thais intervene you lose, so it's a no-win situation all the time.

20 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The jet ski industry in Thailand is notorious for scamming tourists out of large amounts of money over fake damage. Not to say that this could have been a real incident where there was actual damage, and will probably never know.

The man is setting quite an example by beating someone up in front of his kids.

In general you never physically assault a Thai person because there's just no way to win the fight, if you win the fight and beat him up you lose, if he beats you up you lose, if a gang of other Thais intervene you lose, so it's a no-win situation all the time.

20 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The jet ski industry in Thailand is notorious for scamming tourists out of large amounts of money over fake damage. Not to say that this could have been a real incident where there was actual damage, and will probably never know.

The man is setting quite an example by beating someone up in front of his kids.

In general you never physically assault a Thai person because there's just no way to win the fight, if you win the fight and beat him up you lose, if he beats you up you lose, if a gang of other Thais intervene you lose, so it's a no-win situation all the time.

20 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The jet ski industry in Thailand is notorious for scamming tourists out of large amounts of money over fake damage. Not to say that this could have been a real incident where there was actual damage, and will probably never know.

The man is setting quite an example by beating someone up in front of his kids.

In general you never physically assault a Thai person because there's just no way to win the fight, if you win the fight and beat him up you lose, if he beats you up you lose, if a gang of other Thais intervene you lose, so it's a no-win situation all the time.

You are right about the lose lose situation and it definately applies to the jetski hire scam industry but if you do hire one and don't check for prior damage and photograph it then you are in trouble because when the police come they will side with the operator everytime and all you can do is try and negotiate a deal for compensation and they will even drive you to the nearest ATM to get your money.Moral to the story ... DON.T hire one.

Having seen people I know get scammed for 30,000thb, surrounded by a bunch of the jet ski thugs till they went to the ATM for the 30, no, this has been going on for farrrrrrrrr to long. If it was B.S. good on old boy for kicking that guys ass,

Poster who posted take pics all the way around in pre rental walk around is spot on.

The jet ski business and the people involved in it are not the most likeable people to walk the earth. (I'm trying to be diplomatic here.). I am somewhat surprised that violence from one party or another does not break out more often. But as a tourist? Trouble begets more trouble.

The best way to avoid situations like this as tourist is, not to rent jet skis — apart from that, it doesn't help to just walk away or being violent, call instead tourist police, if you feel that you are getting into troubles.

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Whatever the extent of the damage and by whom there is no excuse whatsoever for this brutal assault.

I agree- the video is pretty damming- I hope he gets jail time and not just a fine and a slap on the wrist

Well that's one jet ski operator that might think twice about claiming damage to his jet ski

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Jet Skis have been the source of issues for a couple of decades. Usually it is the tourists getting scammed for some fake damage extortion, but of course it can be the other way around. Should get rid of them alt together.

As a swimmer, diver and general beach bum I hate jet skis with a vengeance. What gets my goat in particular is that small sections of beaches get roped off for swimming, and the rest of the water front is open to the jet skis. It should be exactly the other way round.

They're not only dangerous to swimmers and impossibly noisy for other beachgoers, they also pump out exhaust fumes that lie just above the water where a swimmer's head is. Stinking, dangerous, toxic. Usually run by violent criminal scamgangs. Jet skis should be restricted to remote beaches where their fans and aficionados can travel to and dogfight to their hearts' content.

This is a real 'man bites dog' kinda story though - it's usually the punter getting a kicking from the jetski gang. No excuse however. Bang him up. Just look at what this no hoper is teaching his kids. And imagine life at home with someone who behaves violently like this?

Edited July 9Jul 9 by BusyB

3 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

We all know about the jet Ski scam ... is it still prevelent as much today? Not sure.

Yes it is .

I stood on that beach recently and watched people get scammed on daily basis . Usually to the tune of 20-4000 Baht and the scammers frequently become aggressive with fists raised and pushing and shoving .

Often the same scratched Jet ski on a daily basis

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

The best way to avoid situations like this as tourist is, not to rent jet skis — apart from that, it doesn't help to just walk away or being violent, call instead tourist police, if you feel that you are getting into troubles.

The Police station on the beach are part of the scam .

If you go to them , you will have to pay them as well .

Whilst the tourist was way out of order and shouldn't have done that... the minute the tables are turned on such a well-known scam and its operators who have been threaten and assaulting their customers over nothing for years, much self-righteous blubbing there is to be found. It's called Karma.

Edited July 9Jul 9 by Sir Dude

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Jet Skis have been the source of issues for a couple of decades. Usually it is the tourists getting scammed for some fake damage extortion, but of course it can be the other way around. Should get rid of them alt together.

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Jet Skis have been the source of issues for a couple of decades. Usually it is the tourists getting scammed for some fake damage extortion, but of course it can be the other way around. Should get rid of them alt together.

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Jet Skis have been the source of issues for a couple of decades. Usually it is the tourists getting scammed for some fake damage extortion, but of course it can be the other way around. Should get rid of them alt together.

What he did was totally wrong. BUT it always has been a scam , especially in Phuket and Pattaya, where operators often have already damaged jet skies. When the unsuspecting tourist arrives back they accuse that tourist of causing the damage and demand excessive costs to compensate the repair but is way above what it would normally cost. Naturally the hirer complains and they get a RTP cop involved and he supports the renter and states you must compensate with cash at an ATM now . The RTP gets paid with tea money and the renter laughing all the way to the bank. Been going on for years. Which maybe explains why this guy is so pi..ssed off. He realised he was being ripped off.He should of taken pics of the jet ski before he left the beach.

6 hours ago, save the frogs said:

And how are you planning to keep the jet ski operators employed?

Give them jobs as chimney sweeps I hear that's a job with long term benefits. Ban AI its stealing the jobs.

4 hours ago, khunPer said:

The best way to avoid situations like this as tourist is, not to rent jet skis — apart from that, it doesn't help to just walk away or being violent, call instead tourist police, if you feel that you are getting into troubles.

The police are usually in on the scam and won't support the tourist.

12 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

identified by authorities as Damien Williamson, has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a Thai jet ski worker

Well, there you go. Damien? The devil you say!

I hope Damien Williamson spends some time in a Thai prison.