Kuwaiti tourists apologised and paid 200,000 baht in compensation to Thai lifeguards after a physical assault over a safety warning at Nai Han Beach on Monday, August 25.
A group of foreigners was caught on video attacking two Thai lifeguards at Nai Han Beach in the Rawai sub-district. The confrontation began after one of the lifeguards warned a tourist not to swim in the sea.
The lifeguards pointed to red flags placed along the beach and explained to the tourists that the waves and winds were dangerously strong. In addition, the beach was about to close, after which no lifeguards would be on duty.
However, one foreign man called his family members to the scene, and they launched an attack on a lifeguard. Another guard who tried to intervene was also physically assaulted.
The Newshawk Phuket Facebook page reported that one of the attackers spat on a Thai lifeguard before striking him.
According to Matichon, officers from Chalong Police Station yesterday, August 26, summoned the foreigners involved for questioning. The group agreed to pay 200,000 baht to the two lifeguards as compensation.
Police also arranged a meeting at the Rawai Municipality Office for the foreigners to issue a formal apology to the lifeguards at 10am.
Some netizens criticised the outcome, arguing that police should impose legal penalties on the tourists, such as blacklisting or banning them from re-entering Thailand. They warned that allowing compensation alone might encourage foreign visitors to use money to escape accountability.
Others suggested that the lifeguards were right to accept the payment, as legal proceedings might fade away once the foreigners returned to their home country.
The Newshawk Phuket Facebook page emphasised that the assault constitutes a criminal case which cannot be settled by compensation. Police confirmed they would pursue legal action and penalties against the attackers, with further details to be revealed later.
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