A Pattaya cannabis shop employee has been questioned over an assault after a video showed him punching a foreign man in the street. The worker says he acted in anger after discovering that the customer had allegedly used fake bank-transfer slips to obtain cannabis worth 29,200 baht.

The confrontation happened at about 5.30pm on 30 August in Soi Bongkot, South Pattaya, Chonburi, according to Watcharapong, known as Ice, a 31-year-old employee at a cannabis shop in Pattaya.

More than six minutes of video circulated online, showing Watcharapong restraining the foreign man on the road and repeatedly striking him as passers-by watched. A Thai woman who said she knew the foreigner stopped her car and attempted to intervene.

Fake payment slips alleged

Watcharapong told reporters on the evening of 31 August that the foreign customer had placed two orders through the shop's website, with the pair communicating on WhatsApp.

He said the shop did not initially realise it had been deceived. During the second order, staff found that no money had arrived in the account and reviewed the payment slips from both transactions.

Picture courtesy of แจ็ค โพธิ์แดง

According to Watcharapong, the slips had altered times and sums but carried the same transaction reference number. He put the total loss at 29,200 baht, adding that the customer replied mockingly when the shop sought payment.

The shop then posted appeals to locate the man for more than two to three weeks, he said, before a member of the public called with information on his whereabouts.

Watcharapong said he went to the location and tried to hold the man, who appeared to be preparing to run away. Fearing he might flee on a motorcycle, he said he parked his vehicle, gave chase and struck him, as seen in the footage.

Settlement payments under way

Both sides later went to a police station to negotiate. The foreign man agreed to repay the loss in instalments, Watcharapong said.

He said a first payment of 10,000 baht had been made on 31 August, while another 10,000 baht due today was still awaiting transfer. Watcharapong has also been summoned by police for questioning, with a report made in connection with an assault allegation.

Worker apologises for violence

Watcharapong apologised to the public, saying he had let anger take over and used excessive violence. He said he had not expected the recording to become viral.

He also rejected online claims linking him to grey-area businesses or other drugs, saying the shop sold only cannabis and that he did not use narcotics. He said he was willing to undergo a hospital drug test.

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1 September 2026

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Cannabis is only permitted for medical use?? And 29k of cannabis I hardly believe that is for own use only. Why are there still cannabis shops that can sell big amounts??

This is why you use a civil standby so no violence is necessary. You go after someone and they get hurt, you're arrested for assault when the police could do their job and settle it.

I have zero patience with thieving scum. I'd join the queue to help to give that thief a good hard slap!

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

I have zero patience with thieving scum. I'd join the queue to help to give that thief a good hard slap!

Many of us agree, but these days it would only need to be a false statement and you could be on a plane out of here, retirement plans ruined.

He deserved a good beating, apologies not needed.

Vigilantes is the future across the world with the woke police

Edited Monday at 11:15 PM1 day by scubascuba3

Did the prescribing Dr. issuing the med. use certificate get a good flogging too! Mr Ice, not nice🚫®️

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

According to Watcharapong, the slips had altered times and sums but carried the same transaction reference number. He put the total loss at 29,200 baht, adding that the customer replied mockingly when the shop sought payment

A slap might make him think again... deportation time

And people still claim cannabis doesn't lead to violence!

I’m not against weed whatsoever but since it’s legalisation….idiots galore have been arriving with plenty not going home

I believe this is why some shops are keeping their payment app set to give a tone when payment is received. Additionally one place the amount was read aloud.

Anyways, with the advancements in AI I'm sure this will probably get worse before it gets better.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Cannabis is only permitted for medical use?? And 29k of cannabis I hardly believe that is for own use only. Why are there still cannabis shops that can sell big amounts??

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Cannabis is only permitted for medical use?? And 29k of cannabis I hardly believe that is for own use only. Why are there still cannabis shops that can sell big amounts??

Because their licence has not yet expired !

Not guilty. He did the right thing.

3 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

This is why you use a civil standby so no violence is necessary. You go after someone and they get hurt, you're arrested for assault when the police could do their job and settle it.

What is a "civil standby"?

This is Thailand. If this weed seller went to the cops and asked them to arrest this guy for stealing, the cops would want money first. That's the way it works, more so in this huge 'grey area' of selling cannabis, and especially in Pattaya.

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

What is a "civil standby"?

This is Thailand. If this weed seller went to the cops and asked them to arrest this guy for stealing, the cops would want money first. That's the way it works, more so in this huge 'grey area' of selling cannabis, and especially in Pattaya.

It's calling the police so no one commits violence, and is used anywhere there are police. A little money is better than violence where the person hitting the thief can be hospitalized or killed.

Commit payment fraud, go to the police station... Seems the next step should be deportation.

1 hour ago, Iron Tongue said:

And people still claim cannabis doesn't lead to violence!

Get real. Cannabis didn't lead to violence. This was a cunning fraudster and thief. The issue was money, deception, thievery and retribution. The perpetrator was caught by a cannabis shop employee and he flogged him.

Was the shop employee high?

Does it matter?

There's very little crime associated with cannabis. And when there is it's usually just petty opportunism, not caused by cannabis, but caused by greed. I'm not cheering on the guy who bashed the perpetrator, even he admits it was excessive. But to assert that he was high on cannabis and this was the cause of his violent behavior is drawing a very long bow. It's pure speculation and a biased opinion on the part of Tongue.

This is what mary jane addiction does.

Mr Ice best cool the hell down.

Foreigner sounds like a grade A loser.

I'm sure meth was probably involved somewhere in this kerfluffle too

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Cannabis is only permitted for medical use?? And 29k of cannabis I hardly believe that is for own use only. Why are there still cannabis shops that can sell big amounts??

He might need some of that medical weed to get over his injuries ..Moral to the story don't rip off your drug dealer.

The Thai government have brought this on themselves promoting The sale of cannabis encouraging the wrong type of tourust to come to Thailand and use the cannabis for all the wrong reasons

It should be strictly controlled but money 🤑and greed wins

5 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

This is why you use a civil standby so no violence is necessary. You go after someone and they get hurt, you're arrested for assault when the police could do their job and settle it.

The police can only "do their job" if it's reported to them.

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

The police can only "do their job" if it's reported to them.

I know, that's why I said use a civil standby instead of going after someone who's just stealing. Guess that's why you gave me your usual thumbs down, as you didn't understand what I meant. Maybe it's called different in the UK but this is what it means................A "civil standby" refers to a situation in which a deputy is present at a location to help maintain peace and order during a civil dispute. The deputy is there to prevent any conflict and ensure safety when the parties involved in the dispute need to interact, often to retrieve personal belongings. While the deputy does not intervene in the dispute itself, they ensure that the exchange occurs peacefully.

Edited 19 hours ago19 hr by fredwiggy

I'm not necessarily an advocate of violence as a solution, but some people do deserve a beatdown occasionally.

1 hour ago, Woke to Sounds said:

I'm sure meth was probably involved somewhere in this kerfluffle too

More likely just anger due to the farang loser tried to stiff the thai guy

2 hours ago, Grandpa Cool said:

3 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

And people still claim cannabis doesn't lead to violence!

Get real. Cannabis didn't lead to violence. This was a cunning fraudster and thief. The issue was money, deception, thievery and retribution

All the result of cannabis use.

Edited 19 hours ago19 hr by Liverpool Lou

Off topic post removed @G-String

That a lot weed. I pay 6000 a kg that must be about 4kgs worth of medical cannabis. All this talk making me want to medicate

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

the foreign customer had placed two orders through the shop's website,

The foreign customer - reference https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2026/09/01/cannabis-shop-worker-attacks-uk-man-on-his-motorbike-over-29200-baht-fraud-on-monday-broad-daylight/

Briton Matthew Ryan was hunted through Pattaya over ฿29,200 worth of cannabis before a store worker, Ice, spotted his blue Scoopy, punched him and held him by the neck. Ryan accepts the debt, as police separately investigate his fake payment slips from Monday’s assault.

Another pot head idiot Brit spoiling it for all the others?

One on one that makes a change. Kudos!

And the others didn't join in to give him a good kicking either. Well done folks.

Sorry, but zero tolerance to drug addicts and that to those who scam. Sorry, no offence please. 🙏