Pattaya Mayor Suspends Three Officials Over Tourist Extortion Video
Pattaya's mayor has suspended three municipal officials and terminated three private contractors involved in an extortion scheme caught on video demanding money from tourists for alleged violations without issuing receipts.
On September 28, Pramesuan Ngamphichetsad, Mayor of Pattaya City, along with Deputy Mayor Damrongkiat Pinijkarn and Mayor's Advisor Bhoomipat Kamlnath, announced updates on the case involving a video showing officials allegedly demanding money from tourists by citing smoking violations and modified motorcycle exhausts, without issuing official receipts.
Mayor Pramesuan revealed that following the incident and video release, Pattaya identified six individuals involved: three municipal officials and three private contractors. On August 10, the city coordinated with the contracting company to have the three private employees cease activities immediately. The three municipal officials are undergoing serious disciplinary investigations that began August 20, with a complaint filed at Pattaya City Police on August 21 against all six individuals for misconduct and unauthorized money collection.
Mayor Pramesuan stated that the city is monitoring case progress and has suspended the three municipal officials pending investigation results. He emphasized that the incident damages Pattaya's reputation and tourist confidence, requiring serious and decisive action coupled with procedural fairness. If investigations confirm wrongdoing, disciplinary measures ranging from salary reduction to dismissal or prosecution will be applied. He instructed all staff to perform duties correctly, transparently, and in accordance with regulations, particularly in the social media era.
Citizens and tourists who witness such misconduct can file complaints at Pattaya's emergency hotline 1337, which provides multilingual services, or directly at the Pattaya City Complaint Center for investigation and follow-up action.
