Nine bar workers have been arrested in Thailand for attacking a British tourist over an inflated bar bill in Thailand.
The staff charged the 26-year-old customer, who was visiting alone, an overpriced 20,000 baht (£460) for his drinks at the Diamond Karaoke Bar in Chiang Mai, on Wednesday.
The outraged holidaymaker reportedly refused to pay and stormed off without settling the bill. As he walked outside to take a taxi, the employees allegedly assaulted him.
Disturbing footage shows the workers trying to rip the shirt off the British holidaymaker near the entrance of the venue.
Several men held his arms and legs and others repeatedly kicked him as the man desperately tried to defend himself.
The Brit was heard wheezing: ‘I’ll pay in cash. I swear. I’ll come pay in cash.’
Police said they launched an investigation after video of the brutal attack emerged online.
Colonel Pratchaya Thisala, superintendent of the local station’s Black Hawk team, said: ‘The British tourist was travelling alone. According to the initial medical examination, he only sustained minor injuries and nothing was broken.
The attackers were filmed trying to rip the man’s shirt off and kicking him as he lay on the floor
Video showed some of the bar workers kicking the man as he lay helplessly on the ground
At one point they try to lift him up, with a woman heard screaming in the background
‘There is a lot of witness testimony and evidence. The security camera footage shows that an argument started inside the bar.
‘The foreigner wanted to return to his accommodation first and suggested they talk again later, but the other party didn’t agree.
‘The altercation then escalated outside the bar. At the time, the foreigner was also intoxicated.’
Police have arrested eight individuals identified as Theerasak Rattanaboontawee, 24, Siladol Charoenchai, 20, Naruerong Mueanchan, 28, Apirchart Kiatnet, 22, Adisarn Surin, 22, Sakda Tawong, 22, Santi Khamnang, 18, and Somsri Armo, 28.
The ninth worker, Worapoj Sukittikul, 23, had also called to surrender himself, they said.
The suspects were charged with assault, operating an unlicensed entertainment venue, and selling alcohol beyond legal hours. The bar has also been closed following the incident.
Locals said the bar had been operating for only two months under new management, after the previous owner had sold the business.
One social media user warned visitors against using it after their friends were allegedly ripped-off.
The British man (centre) is seen in the karaoke bar before the incident with the bar staff unfolded
Police shared pictures of the bar staff in a line up after arresting them. Cops said they began investigating after seeing the video online
‘As a Thai person… I feel ashamed and sorry for what happened,’ they wrote, warning people to ‘be careful’ when visiting bars that seem ‘sketchy’.
Police were known to make frequent visits to the establishment over recurring arguments between staff and patrons, often over allegedly inflated bills.
Most of the customers were tourists, usually dropped off by hired drivers or vans who were reportedly paid with commissions by the bar.
Overcharging and adding hidden fees have become common practices in Thai tourist hotspots, where staff inflate bills to fleece cash from unsuspecting foreign visitors, often leading to disputes.
