Chonburi police have denied a Daily Mail article asserting that a British tourist was attacked and robbed by Pattaya officers.

They clarified that the man was arrested twice for public disturbances due to heavy intoxication, and all actions taken were lawful.

The Chonburi Provincial Police have addressed a Daily Mail article concerning the arrest of 55-year-old British tourist Mr. Andrew Hopkins in Pattaya. The article alleged that he was detained twice, assaulted by officers, and wrongfully arrested due to an incident

Mr. Hopkins described as merely bumping into a road sign. Chonburi police clarified the events shortly after Pattaya police issued their clarification.

On February 4th, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiet Jindakornsanoong, Chief of Chonburi Provincial Police, held a press conference at the Pattaya Police Station. He was joined by Pattaya Police Chief Pol. Col. Navin Theerawit and Ms. Apinya Wittayanikorn, the manager of Hyde Park Residence, the site of the disturbances.

Ms. Apinya stated that the incident originated when Mr. Hopkins, reportedly quite intoxicated, caused a public disturbance by breaking a security barrier at Hyde Park Residence, nearly snapping it in half, contrary to his claim of having merely “bumped into it by accident.” Consequently, the staff at Hyde Park Residence summoned the police to manage the situation, as Mr. Hopkins was described by both police and residence staff as being very intoxicated and aggressive.

When the police arrived, they decided to detain him due to his behavior, keeping him until he calmed down. However, shortly after being released and fined 100 Baht, he returned to the exact location and allegedly continued his disruptive actions, frightening tenants with inappropriate behavior. This led to his second arrest after he reportedly refused to leave and threatened staff.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiet clarified that the arrests were conducted legally and not merely due to Mr. Hopkins colliding with a sign, a point misrepresented in foreign reports. He also dismissed the assertion that Pattaya police stole from him, explaining that all his valuables were meticulously logged before his detention and subsequently returned upon his release.

Furthermore, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiet countered the allegation regarding the alleged poor conditions of the holding cell, asserting that the images shared online did not show an official police detention facility but rather depicted an entirely different scenario unrelated to the Pattaya holding cells.

He announced plans to formally request the British Embassy to address the misleading media coverage, which he believes undermines Pattaya’s prestigious tourism reputation. He reiterated that Thai police strictly adhere to legal protocols in managing individuals causing public disturbances to safeguard law-abiding citizens, regardless of nationality.

At the time of publication, Mr. Hopkins, now in the UK, had not officially replied to the police statements.

Read More Articles Here

Read More Articles Here