PATTAYA — An American soldier, heavily intoxicated and violent, punched a friend until he lost consciousness and then attempted to bite a police officer’s arm during a chaotic arrest in Pattaya on Monday, March 9, 2026.

American Tourist Knocked Out in Violent Pattaya Brawl

The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media the following day, showed four to five police officers struggling to restrain the American man, who appeared to be in a state of extreme intoxication. In the footage, the foreign national resisted arrest and repeatedly shouted, “Where is my wallet?” as officers attempted to take him to a police station in a pickup truck.

The Assault

According to 32-year-old Thai rescuer Jakkapong Wongphut, who spoke to Chon Buri News and ThaiRath, he and his team were called to a road outside a hotel in Soi Pattaya 6 to assist an unconscious foreigner. When they arrived, they found the victim lying on the road with facial injuries. The attacker was the American soldier seen in the video.

When the suspect spotted the rescue team arriving, he attempted to flee, prompting them to chase him. They subsequently contacted Mueang Pattaya Police for assistance in restraining the man, leading to the confrontation captured in the footage.

Arrest Attempt

During the arrest attempt, one officer was heard shouting, “He’s going to bite me!” as the soldier continued his aggressive resistance. A friend of the man, wearing a white shirt, was seen trying to calm him down, urging him to drink water to sober up and reminding him that he had a wife and children waiting at home. The intoxicated soldier refused to cooperate.

Resolution

Police later told media that the foreigners negotiated over the matter, and the victim declined to pursue legal action against his friend. Both individuals are believed to be American soldiers who were visiting Pattaya for the multinational Cobra Gold military exercise.

Previous Incidents

This is not the first altercation involving American soldiers during the Cobra Gold exercises in Pattaya. In a separate incident on February 2018, six American soldiers were fined 1,000 baht each for fighting with two Thai men outside a bar in Pattaya. In that case, the Thai men had allegedly tried to aggressively sell counterfeit watches to the soldiers, and CCTV footage confirmed the Thai nationals threw the first punch, resulting in them being fined 5,000 baht each.

Foreign Tourists Brawl on Phuket’s Bangla Road

The Cobra Gold exercise, one of the largest multinational military drills in the Asia-Pacific region, regularly brings American service members to Thailand, with Pattaya being a popular destination for off-duty personnel.

-Thailand News (TN)