A British backpacker was the target of a frenzied attack after refusing to pay for overpriced drinks at a bar in Thailand.
Nine bar workers have been arrested for attacking Cameron James Wilkins, 26, after he refused to pay a £460 bill for his drinks at the Diamond Karaoke Bar in Chiang Mai.
The outraged holidaymaker, from Solihull, reportedly refused to pay the gouged bill. As he was walking outside to take a taxi, the employees launched an attack.
Disturbing footage showed the workers restraining Cameron near the entrance of the venue, before others took turns kicking him.
‘I’ll pay in cash. I swear. I’ll come to pay in cash,’ Cameron repeated.
Police said they launched an investigation after video of the brutal attack emerged online.
Colonel Pratchaya Thisala said: ‘The British tourist was travelling alone. According to the initial medical examination, he only sustained minor injuries, and nothing was broken.
‘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.’
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, have been arrested.
A ninth worker, Worapoj Sukittikul, 23, called police 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.
Police were often called to the bar after 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.
Last year, a dispute left one British tourist in a coma after a security guard at a bar in Thailand kicked him in the head.
The bouncer, who has apologised for his actions, was working alongside two others when an argument broke out between the bar’s hostess and three British men.
The hostess said the men insulted her when she told them some of their bill hadn’t been paid and refused to hand over any money, saying they were being scammed.
She called security and CCTV shows the tourists settled their bill, but one of them then pushed one of the bouncers, causing a brawl to break out in the street.
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