A Russian tourist was found unconscious in a toilet on Pattaya's Walking Street early on 28 August, while his heavily intoxicated friends initially prevented rescuers from treating him. White powder was seen inside the man's nostrils, but officials could not establish what substance it was. The group refused to allow him to be taken to hospital and instead took him back to their accommodation. Rescue workers blocked at Walking Street The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya rescue radio centre was alerted at 2.30am to reports of an unconscious foreign man in a toilet on Walking Street in South Pattaya, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. Pattaya special affairs officials, tourist police and volunteer rescuers attended. A crowd of tourists had gathered at the scene after the Russian man was found slumped and unconscious in the toilet. He later came around, but was speaking incoherently, appearing severely intoxicated. Friends of the same nationality, who were also reportedly heavily drunk, shouted at and obstructed the officers, initially refusing to let them assist. The group eventually carried the man outside to an area with better ventilation. However, they continued to oppose an ambulance transfer to hospital. Powder seen, but cause remains unclear Rescuers said the man's friends told them he had taken antidepressant medication and consumed alcohol before losing consciousness. During their examination, officers saw a white residue in his nostrils which resembled an illicit drug, although they could not identify it. The man remained confused and intoxicated, saying only that his "leg was missing" and insisting that he wanted to return to his accommodation rather than go to hospital. A witness, Kriangsak Thapkluea, 64, said the Russian group had come from a nearby Russian entertainment venue before using the toilets. He said one of the friends ran to ask him for help after the man collapsed. Kriangsak said his own shop had been closed for some time and that the group had only entered to use the toilet. He believed the man's condition resembled drug use after seeing what he described as a large amount of white powder in the nostrils, but said he did not know where any substance may have come from or whether it had been bought or sold. Officials were only able to record the identities of those involved, other than they were Russian. No clear cause of the man's collapse could be confirmed because his friends would not allow him to be taken to hospital. Pictures courtesy of SiamChon Join the discussion? 29 August 2026
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